MUMBAI, October 10, 2026: Bollywood actor Imran Khan was detained by Mumbai Police on Saturday during a protest in support of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), according to Indian media reports.
The 43-year-old actor shared a selfie apparently taken inside a police van after his detention near August Kranti Maidan, the planned venue for the demonstration. He captioned the photograph, “Apparently, I’m going for a drive.”
The protest aimed to show solidarity with the CJP’s demonstration in New Delhi, where activists and political figures called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
Dispute Over Permission for Protest
Mumbai Police said the organisers did not have permission to hold the demonstration at August Kranti Maidan. Police also cited Bombay High Court directions restricting authorised protests to Azad Maidan.
CJP workers, however, said they had requested permission by email but received no response from the authorities.
Before his detention, Khan said he had joined the demonstration as a citizen and was not representing any organisation. He said he wanted to understand why people’s freedom of movement was being restricted and why their voices were being suppressed.
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Detentions Also Reported in New Delhi
The police action in Mumbai coincided with a wider crackdown on demonstrations linked to the CJP’s campaign in New Delhi. Indian media reported that hundreds of people were detained in Mumbai, while police also detained protesters and political figures in the capital.
The CJP is demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The allegations have become a subject of political debate in India.
Khan has previously spoken publicly about social and political issues, including artistic freedom. His detention brought further attention to the police response to demonstrations supporting the CJP.
