Imran Khan tenders unconditional apology to Bombay HC, vows not to join protests amid ‘Leave India’ notice row

Actor Imran Khan has tendered an unconditional apology before the Bombay High Court and given an undertaking that he would not participate in protests, as he challenges a ‘Leave India Notice’ issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) over his alleged participation in a demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Bombay High Court will now hear Khan’s plea on December 7, with the FRRO’s ‘Leave India Notice’ kept in abeyance until then.

The development came during the hearing of Khan’s plea against the notice, which had directed him to leave India by October 28. The Bombay High Court had earlier kept the notice in abeyance until November 2, granting the actor interim relief.


The actor, a US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, is contesting the FRRO’s action following his brief detention at a protest in Mumbai on October 10.

The protest was held at August Kranti Maidan in solidarity with demonstrations against Kumar, seeking his resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

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Why was Imran Khan asked to leave India?

The FRRO issued a ‘Leave India Notice’ to Khan on October 14, directing him to leave the country by October 28. The notice followed his alleged participation in the October 10 protest against the Chief Election Commissioner.

Khan was briefly detained by Mumbai Police during the demonstration. The actor subsequently challenged the notice before the Bombay High Court, calling it arbitrary and unconstitutional.

In his petition, Khan argued that the authorities had failed to specify the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, that he had allegedly violated. He also contended that the notice was issued without giving him an opportunity to be heard.

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The actor maintained that he was neither an organiser nor a participant in the protest and had gone to the location to see what was happening. He said he was surrounded by the media and detained before he could reach the site.