‘Dictatorship’ vs ‘Aasteen ka Saanp’: Mixed political reactions on Imran Khan being asked to leave India

Indian authorities have instructed Bollywood actor Imran Khan to depart the country by the end of the month, alleging he contravened immigration regulations following his involvement in a protest against the election commission chief, according to local media reports on Thursday. Khan, a 43-year-old American citizen, was informed by the Indian Express newspaper.

Under Indian law, the involvement of foreigners in political protests may be considered a breach of immigration and visa rules. The actor had been given until October 28 to vacate the country, as reported by the Times of India newspaper. Khan participated in a rally in Mumbai on Saturday, advocating for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in response to voter list revisions, which critics and opposition parties contend favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party.

On the same day, the actor shared a statement on social media, accompanied by an image of him holding a victory sign in the back of what appeared to be a police van. A complaint was lodged against him at a police station in Mumbai, alleging that Khan had violated the law, and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office, a federal agency responsible for monitoring foreign nationals in India, subsequently sent him a notice to leave based on the complaint, as per the Indian Express.

Khan has yet to provide a response to a request for comment. Renowned as the nephew of actor Aamir Khan and originating from a prominent film family, Imran has appeared in numerous successful Bollywood films from 2008 to 2015, before abruptly retiring.