Courts today: Vijayan family's CMRL appeal, Imran Khan's leave-India notice, a full Supreme Court

Three courts have political cases on their boards on Monday, as the Supreme Court returns to full strength after its break.

Vijayan family in the Keralam High Court

A division bench of the Keralam High Court is due to hear appeals by former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and his son-in-law, former minister P A Mohamed Riyas, in the CMRL-Exalogic case.

They are challenging a single-judge order that directed the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against them, based on information passed on by the Enforcement Directorate. The single judge also held that the state government’s choice to hold a preliminary enquiry without an FIR was illegal in the circumstances, and set aside the special investigation team it had formed for that enquiry.

The family’s main ground is that they were never heard before an order that directly affected them was passed. The High Court first refused them leave to appeal. On 21 October the Supreme Court set that refusal aside, held that they “are entitled to move appeals before the Division Bench”, and granted a short stay on the investigation. The FIR itself stands.

That stay is close to running out, so the first thing the bench may have to decide is whether to extend it. Advocate K M Shajahan is the first respondent, and Advocate General K Jaju Babu is listed for the state.

Imran Khan in the Bombay High Court

In Mumbai, a bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna is due to hear actor Imran Khan’s challenge to a “Leave India Notice” from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer.

The notice tells Khan, a US citizen who holds an Overseas Citizen of India card, to leave the country on or before 28 October. It accuses him of “allegedly attempting to participate in an anti-Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) protest” and warns of prosecution under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, if he stays.

Khan was detained by Mumbai Police on 10 October at August Kranti Maidan, where protesters were demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision of electoral rolls. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya then complained to police, pointing out that Khan is not an Indian citizen. Khan says he was only standing near the site, that he was not given a hearing, and that the notice breaks the rights the law gives OCI cardholders. When his lawyer, senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, mentioned the case, the bench asked whether Khan had any antecedents. Dhond said he had none.

The Supreme Court

In Delhi, the Supreme Court’s cause list for Monday has 15 benches, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant sitting with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. A separate list of about 270 chamber matters has been put up for the week to 30 October, to be taken on short notice.

Among the political cases waiting is the plea by Connaught Place traders against the New Delhi Municipal Council’s shutdown of Central Park during the Cockroach Janta Party’s Tiranga protest. When it was mentioned on 16 October, the court said it would come up on 26 or 27 October.