Mumbai, October 2026 : The Bombay High Court on Monday scheduled October 26 to hear a petition filed by actor Imran Khan Pal, a US national, challenging a ‘leave India notice’ issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Mumbai, directing him to leave the country by October 28.
The notice was issued on October 14, four days after Pal was detained during a protest in Mumbai against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The actor has challenged the directive as arbitrary and legally unjustified, arguing that it was issued without prior notice, a hearing or specific reasons.
Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, representing Pal, mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing before a bench led by the Chief Justice. He told the court that his client had been living in India since the age of two and had been directed to leave the country without being given an opportunity to explain his position.
Responding to a query from the bench, Dhond submitted that the actor had no criminal antecedents, adding that this had also been stated in the petition.
The court asked whether copies of the petition had been served on all respondents. Dhond said they had been provided, while Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, appearing for the Centre and the FRRO, said he had received a copy only about 10 minutes earlier.
Dhond requested a hearing the following day, citing the urgency of the matter and the October 28 deadline. Singh suggested October 26 and assured the court that the respondents would be ready to argue the case on that date. The bench also directed Pal to implead the Maharashtra government as a party to the proceedings.
Pal, who is nearly 44, filed the petition on Saturday through advocate Zulfiquar Memon. He has described the notice as “arbitrary, unreasoned and wholly misconceived”, contending that it violates the principles of natural justice.
Petition Cites Fundamental Rights
The petition argues that the FRRO’s directive infringes Pal’s fundamental rights to equality under Article 14 and to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. It maintains that these constitutional protections extend to foreigners residing in India as well.
According to the plea, the FRRO issued the notice under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, citing an alleged violation of the Act, its rules and relevant orders. However, the actor contends that the notice does not identify the specific provisions allegedly breached or explain the grounds for the decision.
The petition argues that simply reproducing the language of a statutory provision, without giving reasons applicable to the individual concerned, is insufficient to justify such a serious administrative action.
Pal has further claimed that the proposed expulsion appears to be linked to the registration of a first information report (FIR) following the protest he attended. The investigation into the case is still underway, and no charge-sheet has been filed, according to the petition.
Actor Challenges Expulsion at Investigation Stage
The plea refers to alleged offences under Sections 223, 126(2), 189(2), 189(3) and 189(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It states that the offences are bailable and carry no punishment exceeding two years.
The petition also points out that no court has taken cognisance of the case and no charges have been framed against the actor. It argues that the investigation may ultimately result in a charge-sheet not being filed, a court declining to take cognisance, or the actor being discharged or acquitted if the matter proceeds to trial.
In these circumstances, the petition contends, directing Pal to leave India at the preliminary stage would impose a severe consequence based on allegations that have not been established in court. It argues that such action would effectively penalise him before the criminal proceedings have reached a conclusion.
These are the actor’s submissions in the petition; the High Court has yet to adjudicate the merits of his challenge.
Separate Notice on OCI Status
In a related development, Pal was served with a fresh show-cause notice on Saturday asking him to explain why his Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status should not be cancelled under a provision of the Citizenship Act.
The OCI notice constitutes a separate proceeding from the ‘leave India notice’ and raises an additional issue concerning his status in the country.
Pal is expected to seek urgent interim relief when the High Court takes up his petition on October 26. His requests are likely to include a stay on the operation of the departure notice, which currently directs him to leave India by October 28.
The petition’s final prayer is for the notice to be quashed and set aside. The scheduled hearing will take place just two days before the deadline specified by the FRRO, making the court’s consideration of the interim relief sought particularly significant for the actor.
The Centre and the FRRO are expected to present their response when the matter comes up for hearing.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
