CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke asks Bollywood to stand with Imran Khan as he’s asked to leave India

Mumbai, October 15 — Imran Khan, the Bollywood actor and nephew of superstar Aamir Khan, has been given until October 28 to leave India after participating in a protest advocating electoral reforms, adding an unforeseen complication to his anticipated return to the silver screen. The 43-year-old, famed for the 2008 comedy Jaane Tu...

Ya Jaane Na, was served a notice by India’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) following his involvement in a demonstration on October 10 in Mumbai. Indian authorities allege Khan, a US citizen with an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, breached immigration laws by protesting. “Imran Khan took part in the protest in Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar,” police stated.

“He did so despite not being an Indian citizen,” they added. Though an OCI affords foreign-born Indians residency and work rights in India, it does not extend full citizenship or political rights like voting or election campaigning. The legal basis for ordering Khan’s deportation remains undefined, according to The Indian Express.

This development arrives at a challenging juncture for Khan, who is making his Bollywood comeback with the Netflix movie Adhure Hum Adhure Tum this year after a decade-long hiatus. Khan, who began his leading role as Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, has since starred in movies like I Hate Luv Storys, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and Delhi Belly.

His recent off-screen controversy began when he joined a protest organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a Gen-Z-led movement advocating electoral reforms and the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who is accused of vote fraud, a claim the Election Commission denies. Khan was briefly arrested with other protesters but seemingly remained composed, posting a photo of himself in a police van on Instagram and joking, “Apparently I’m going for a drive.”

The actor clarified to reporters that he attended the protest in a personal capacity, not on behalf of any political entity, emphasizing his desire to understand why freedom of movement is curtailed and why people’s voices are stifled. Khan's attendance sparked a complaint from Kirit Somaiya, a politician from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who called Khan “involved in a conspiracy to spread anarchy in India,” a claim Khan has not yet responded to directly.

This prompted authorities to scrutinize Khan’s immigration status, leading to the notice requiring his departure by October 28. As of now, Khan has not issued a statement regarding the order. The controversy comes amid widespread protests across India, with thousands marching in Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Opposition figures, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, rallied in New Delhi on Monday, while two senior CJP officials were jailed for five days on Wednesday over alleged trespassing at a protest site, as reported by the BBC. The movement has called for another demonstration in New Delhi today. For Khan, whose return to acting has already sparked interest after his prolonged absence from Bollywood, the immigration notice now raises questions about his immediate plans in India. It remains uncertain whether he plans to contest the order before the October 28 deadline.