Bollywood actor Imran Khan was detained by Mumbai Police on October 10 during a protest linked to the Cockroach Janata Party campaign.
Khan was taken into custody near August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai, where demonstrators had gathered in support of a protest planned in New Delhi.
Several other people were also detained during the demonstration.
Among them were Khan’s girlfriend Lekha Washington and his cousin Zayn Marie. Police had placed heavy barricades around the protest venue and deployed hundreds of personnel to prevent large gatherings.
Videos of Khan’s detention later went viral on social media.
The actor appeared calm and was seen smiling while police officers escorted him away. The footage quickly attracted attention from fans and entertainment pages.
Khan questioned why people’s voices were being suppressed and defended the right to peaceful protest.
The demonstration was linked to demands surrounding India’s election administration and calls for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Actor Prakash Raj, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and musician Vishal Dadlani were among public figures who criticised the police crackdown and raised concerns about freedom of expression.
Khan was not held for a long period.
He and other detainees were released hours later. Lekha Washington later confirmed their release.
The incident has also triggered debate over Khan’s Overseas Citizen of India status.
Some political figures argued that his participation in a political protest could raise legal questions because OCI cardholders face restrictions on certain political activities. Whether his participation violated those rules remains subject to legal interpretation.
The detention has now placed the actor at the centre of a wider debate about protest rights, political participation and police action in India.
