A special court has refused permission to NCP leader Nawab Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan, observing that he may abscond. The court said in such a situation it will be difficult to secure his presence for trial. Sameer Khan, who is on bail in a drugs case, wanted to travel abroad to organise the Season 4 Grand Finale of Superstar League of which he is the founder.
Why was Sameer Khan arrested?
Khan was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Jan 2021 in connection with seizure of 200kg ganja from his co-accused. He had secured bail in Sep 2021. As per his bail conditions, he has to take the court’s permission to leave Mumbai. He made a plea seeking permission for two-month travel to Dubai.
He also sought relaxation of bail conditions that require him to take the court’s permission to travel. He had explained that he is in the business of providing web-based solutions and creating websites and hence needs to travel out of the city frequently.
In response to Khan’s advocate’s argument that it is Khan’s constitutional right to carry out his vocation, Special Judge AV Kharkar, designated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, said in the order of last Saturday that these rights come with reasonable restrictions.
Khan charge-sheeted under NDPS Act
The court pointed out that Khan has been charge-sheeted for carrying out a serious offence under the NDPS Act. It noted that earlier the condition had been relaxed upon his plea and that it appears that he was “slowly nudging” and attempting to get the bail conditions modified.
“I have gone through the document which is a computer printout of some Superstar League,” Judge Kharkar stated, adding that he has also produced some pictures of previous events organised by him in which he is seen posing with “people across social and political field”.
The court said it finds merit in the NCB’s contention that there is nothing to show what role the accused has to play and whether such an event is proposed to be organised. Even so, it said the reason is not a compulsive one.
