After being arrested in connection with the drugs-on-cruise case, Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, was denied bail by a Mumbai Magistrates court on Friday evening, stating that his bail application was “not maintainable.”
Two additional accused – Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha – had their bail applications denied by the court, and all three would have to go to the Sessions Court for bail.
The young star, from whom the NCB has admitted that no narcotics were retrieved, and the other accused are being held in Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail (and will be returned there).
The NCB had argued against bail, claiming that releasing Aryan Khan would jeopardise its investigation. Mr Khan, according to the CIA, could tamper with evidence and manipulate witnesses. Aryan Khan and the other defendants, according to the CIA, were “frequent users of contraband.”
“Because they are powerful people, there is a potential that evidence will be tampered with. It would have been different if it had been just one person with a modest quantity. We have a lot of evidence… at this point, bail would obstruct the investigation “Anil Singh, the Additional Solicitor General, stated.
Mr Khan’s lawyer, Satish Maneshinde, emphasised a key point: the NCB had failed to locate drugs on his client’s person or in his bags, and had admitted to that failing.
“…not a single piece of evidence to reveal or perpetrate any plot… no evidence has been found on me or in my suitcase… where is the evidence to prosecute? I can’t be transported with them (other accused) because I haven’t been detected in possession of anything “He was adamant.
“I was discovered with nothing. It’s not even worth a gramme, let alone an ounce, yet it’s worth a lot of money “he stated
“There hasn’t been much in the last five days (since Aryan Khan’s arrest), and that’s because there hasn’t been anything. I come from a reputable family, so I’m unlikely to flee. They already have accused in their custody who they claim are connected to me “Mr. Maneshinde continued.
Mr Maneshinde, who also represented actor Rhea Chakraborty when she was arrested by the NCB (again, despite the fact that no drugs were found on her and on the basis of WhatsApp chats), cited Supreme Court statements that said interrogation, investigation, and confrontation of the accused with other accused can take place even if bail has been granted.
The Narcotics Control Bureau detained Aryan Khan, 23, after a raid on a party aboard a cruise ship off the city’s coast on Sunday night. He and seven other people arrested at the time were held in the agency’s custody until Thursday, after which they were transferred to judicial custody.
The judge had ruled at the time, “I am of the opinion that no custodial interrogation is required because sufficient time has been granted,” following which Mr Khan’s counsel, Satish Maneshinde, moved for bail.
The NCB had argued that Aryan Khan should not be released on bail because his WhatsApp conversations revealed he was involved with international drug gangs and so needed to be investigated.
The agency stated that Aryan Khan must be confronted with others who have been arrested, referring to Archit Kumar. Mr Kumar was arrested, according to the NCB, on the basis of Mr Khan’s statement.
(With inputs from NDTV News – Topstories.)
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