Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's nephew and actor Imran Khan has been given a notice to leave India by Mumbai Police. Imran Khan had participated in the protest in Mumbai demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Imran Khan is living in India on Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card and he is not an Indian citizen, he has US citizenship.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya, while filing the complaint, raised questions on his citizenship and participation in the protest regarding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. In this case, Mumbai Police has served a notice to actor Imran Khan to leave India, for which he has got time till October 28. This entire matter is related to his participation in the protests, his status as a foreign citizen and the rules of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.
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What is the whole matter?
Actor Imran Khan has been asked to leave India by October 28. This notice has been issued to him under sections 7 and 29 of the 'Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025'. This has raised questions about the powers of the government over foreign citizens and the rights of 'Overseas Citizen of India' (OCI) card holders. The actor holds US citizenship and OCI card.
He was detained during the protests. This action has been taken after the complaint of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. Somaiya alleges that Khan has violated the law by participating in the protest. In this matter, Kirit told journalists, 'There are thousands of such Imran Khans in India. They want to stay here and defame the country. Action should be taken against all such people and they should be thrown out of the country.
What is OCI card?
'Overseas Citizen of India' (OCI) card is granted to eligible people of Indian origin who hold foreign citizenship. Despite its name, OCI card does not confer Indian citizenship. It grants certain special privileges, including a lifetime 'multiple-entry' visa to India, subject to applicable regulations.
OCI cardholders cannot vote in elections in India or contest elections to Parliament or state legislatures. Indian laws related to foreign nationals and immigration also apply to them. Their OCI status does not give them an unconditional right to reside in India. OCI card offers some special facilities, but it does not give its holder the same constitutional and political rights that an Indian citizen enjoys.
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Understand the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act
Section 7 empowers the Central Government to control or limit the entry, departure or stay of foreign nationals in India. Under this, the government will stay and
It can also impose conditions on traveling around the country. Apart from this, Section 29 deals with deportation of foreign nationals from India. It provides for deportation of a foreigner from the country in situations falling within the scope of the Act. This includes cases like violating the rules or orders of the Act, and receiving adverse security related reports.
In the case of Imran Khan, he has been directed to leave India by October 28 due to his involvement in the October 10 protests. In a report by Times of India, a police officer said that Imran Khan has foreign citizenship and is not an Indian citizen. Under the relevant provisions of the 'Foreigners/Immigration Act', foreign nationals are prohibited from taking part in political protests or political activities on Indian soil.