NDPS court to hear Aryan Khan’s bail plea on October 13
A special court on Monday directed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to file its reply on October 13 on the bail plea of Bollywood superstar’s son Aryan Khan. Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested in connection with the seizure of banned drugs on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast. Special Judge VV Patil, who is hearing matters related to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, said he will hear the bail plea on Wednesday (October 13).
Aryan Khan was arrested on 3 October. He is presently in judicial custody and lodged in Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
He had approached the special court for bail after his plea was rejected by a magistrate’s court last week on the ground that he did not have jurisdiction to decide the case.
On Monday, when Aryan Khan’s lawyer Amit Desai referred to the bail plea, NCB’s counsel AM Chimalkar and Advait Sethna sought a week’s time to respond and file an affidavit.
He said that the investigation of the case is still on and a lot of material has been collected by the agency and at this stage, it needs to be seen whether the release of Aryan Khan on bail will hamper the investigation of the case.
Desai, however, objected to this saying that the liberty of a person is in question here, and argued that the release of the accused on bail would not stop the investigation in the case.
“Bail will not stop the investigation. NCB can continue its investigation. It is their duty. But, keeping my client (Aryan Khan) in custody, especially when there is no recovery from him (drugs), is not required. Desai said.
“He (Aryan) has not been found in possession of any narcotic substance and there is no other material against him. Since his arrest, he is in NCB custody for a week and his statement was recorded twice Why does he still have to be in jail?” Senior advocate argued.
Chimalkar, however, said the agency needs at least a few days to file its reply.
Chimalkar said, “The argument Desai is making appears to be rosy, but this is not what the investigation reveals or reveals. Aryan Khan is in judicial custody. His release on bail will affect our investigation or No, this needs to be seen.”
Sethna, appearing for the NCB, told the court that there was no need for urgent hearing on the bail plea.
Desai then sought the court to hear and decide separately on Aryan Khan’s plea, saying that the recovery of drugs from each of the accused in the case was different.
But, Chimalkar and Sethna opposed it and said that the conspiracy is the same.
Apart from Aryan Khan, four other accused in the case, Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Nupur Sateja and Mohak Jaiswal have also filed bail pleas in the special court.
The court said that it will start hearing on Aryan Khan’s bail plea on Wednesday.
Aryan Khan has been charged with offenses relating to possession, consumption and purchase of drugs under sections 8(c), 20(b), 27, 28, 29 and 35 of the NDPS Act.
NCB has so far arrested 20 people in this case.
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