Bombay High Court to hear plea against Imran Khan's FRRO notice on Tuesday

Imran Khan inside a police van after he was detained. Pic/By Special Arrangement

The Bombay High Court would hear today (Tuesday, October 27) a petition filed by actor Imran Khan, 43. The hearing has been deferred for a day, from Monday, October 26 to today.

The actor, an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holder residing in India, filed a Writ Petition before the Bombay High Court challenging the Leave India Notice (LIN) dated October 10 issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer, Mumbai, which directs him to leave India on or before October 28. The petition challenges the procedure the FRRO adopted.

The notice is for allegedly violating the Immigration and Foreigners Act by participating in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The action followed BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's police complaint on October 12.

The plea came up before a division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna on Monday. Khan's counsel, Venkatesh Dhond, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, sought to have the matter listed for Tuesday. The court agreed.

On October 10, the actor was seen being taken into a police van near August Kranti Maidan, with social media showing him flashing the ‘V' victory sign inside the van and a caption: "Apparently, I am going for a drive."

‘Did not participate'

In his petition, filed in the HC on October 17, Khan claimed he had neither participated in the gathering nor had any association with its organisers. The petition claimed it reflected "patent non-application of mind and the arbitrary targeting" of Khan as a public figure.

‘Quash notice'

"Not only is the notice manifestly disproportionate; if implemented, it would reduce the very principles of natural justice that the authorities are duty-bound to uphold, to nothing but a dead letter," Khan's petition stated.