Actor Imran Khan has received interim relief from the Bombay High Court, which has put on hold a notice directing him to leave India by October 28. A division bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna, hearing the matter on October 27, stayed the operation of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office notice until the next hearing on Monday, November 2, 2026.
The order means that, for now, the notice will not take effect. It is interim relief, not a final decision on the merits of the case, and the court will return to the matter next week after the Centre has had further opportunity to respond. For Khan, however, the immediate consequence is clear: the October 28 deadline in the notice no longer applies while the stay is in force.
Khan, who is reported to be a United States citizen holding an Overseas Citizen of India card, had challenged the legality of the notice. He was directed to leave following his reported participation in a protest in Mumbai. The reports available do not go beyond that description of the protest, and no further details of it should be assumed from the material currently on record.
During the hearing, the Centre sought more time to respond to Khan’s challenge. The Additional Solicitor General assured the court that no coercive action would be taken against Khan before the next hearing, an assurance that reinforces the practical effect of the stay and gives the actor breathing room while the legal process continues.
Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond appeared for Khan in the proceedings. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was to appear for the Centre, reflecting the significance the case carries for the authorities as well as for the petitioner. The presence of senior counsel on both sides underlines that the issues at stake go beyond a single notice and touch on questions of status, procedure and the rights attached to an OCI card.
The case has drawn attention well beyond legal circles, in part because of Khan’s profile as a Bollywood actor. He has been away from the screen for a considerable period, but his name continues to attract public interest, and any development concerning his right to remain in India is therefore followed closely by fans and the film industry alike.
Legally, however, the most important point to keep in view is the limited nature of Tuesday’s order. A stay until November 2 preserves the status quo; it does not decide whether the FRRO notice was lawful, nor does it finally determine Khan’s position. Those questions will be argued when the matter comes back before the bench, after the Centre files its response.
The November 2 hearing will therefore be the next significant date in the case. By then, the court will have the Centre’s position before it, and the parties will have an opportunity to address the legality of the notice in fuller detail. Until that hearing, the assurance of no coercive action and the stay itself provide the operative protection.
For now, Khan can remain in India without the immediate threat of the October 28 deadline. What happens next will depend on the arguments advanced on November 2, and on how the court views the balance between the authorities’ powers and the rights claimed by a person holding OCI status. The case is, at this stage, paused rather than resolved, and its outcome remains open.
