Imran Khan receives show-cause notice over OCI status; asked to explain presence at CJP protest

Khan was among several people detained by the Mumbai Police during the gathering. The incident soon led to an immigration notice asking him to leave India. Now, a fresh notice has brought his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status into focus. The actor has challenged the earlier order in court, while the latest notice gives him an opportunity to explain his side.

FRRO asks Imran Khan why his OCI status should not be cancelled

According to a report by The Times of India, the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Mumbai issued a second notice to Khan on Sunday, asking him to explain why his OCI registration should not be cancelled. The notice refers to his presence at the October 10 protest at August Kranti Maidan, held in support of the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The notice states that police permission had not been granted for the protest and that a case was registered against Khan and other participants for unlawful assembly. However, it also makes clear that an FIR or detention alone does not prove the allegations or automatically provide grounds to cancel his OCI registration.

Imran Khan gets 15 days to respond

The FRRO has given Khan 15 days to submit his response. The process for cancelling OCI registration under the Citizenship Act, 1955, provides an opportunity for the person concerned to be heard before a final decision is taken.

Khan is a US citizen and holds an OCI card. The latest notice asks him to explain his participation in the protest before the authorities decide what action, if any, should follow. It is a show-cause notice, which means his OCI status has not been cancelled through this notice alone.

Why did Imran Khan receive a ‘leave India’ notice?

Before the second notice, the Mumbai FRRO had issued an order dated October 14 directing Khan to leave India by October 28. The order referred to alleged violations of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and the rules made under it. The notice stated that he had “contravened the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 and the Rules and Orders made thereunder”. It cited provisions that allow authorities to direct a foreign national to leave India.

Imran Khan challenges the order in Bombay High Court

Khan approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the earlier order. In his petition, he described the notice as “arbitrary, unreasoned and wholly misconceived” and argued that he had not been given a proper opportunity to respond to the allegations.

He also said he had been living in India since the age of two and disputed having any association with organisations involved in the protest. The court challenge is separate from the fresh show-cause notice concerning his OCI status.

What happened at the CJP protest?

The protest took place at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan on October 10. Participants called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral roll irregularities. Khan was among more than 400 people reportedly detained during the police action. His partner Laila Washington and cousin Zayn Marie Khan were also present.