The Bombay High Court on Monday rebuked Bollywood actor Imran Khan for his participation in the recent protests against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, pointing out that an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holder "cannot behave like an Indian citizen".
"You are not even remotely affected by the SIR, therefore you have no right to protest or participate in these protest," observed Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi, who leads the bench hearing the case, as per a LiveLaw report.
Khan was among the 400 people detained in connection with the anti-CEC protests in Mumbai earlier in October.
Comparing the case to an Indian being caught for protesting in the US, the court said that the actor would have to issue a categorical statement clarifying that he was not associated with either the protestors or the organisers of the recent protests.
Though senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, representing Khan, told the court that the actor was prepared to do so, the bench then added that just a statement was not enough—he also had to issue an unconditional apology, even if he had participated in the protests inadvertently.
"Without such unconditional apology we will not accept your undertaking ... You cannot instigate citizens ... Being a celebrity you have so many followers ... Any statement from you is decisive," the court declared.
The court made these remarks based on Khan's plea against the Leave India Notice (LIN) issued to him by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), directing him to leave the country by October 28.
The LIN had been kept in abeyance by a bench of Chief Justice Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna last week.
Though Justice Dhond, representing Khan, told the court that the 42-year-old was only a US citizen by birth, and had spent his entire life in India, the court clarified that all that time here still did not mean he was an Indian citizen.
Chief Justice Tripathi also questioned why the 42-year-old had not applied for an Indian citizenship, despite spending decades in the country.
However, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh, appearing for the FRRO pointed out that Khan's social media posts and an interview was evidence of his direct involvement in the protests.
ASG Singh also alleged that the 42-year-old had participated in several protests in the past and made provocative statements, due to which just tendering the apology would not absolve him of the allegations.
