Hearing on bail application of accused Aryan Khan and two others has been adjourned for tomorrow by the Bombay High Court. The hearing for bail application of Bollywood superstar ShaRukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha will resume tomorrow, Wednesday at 2.30 pm.
Former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi who was appearing for Aryan Khan's bail plea in connection with drugs on cruise case began his arguments at Bombay High Court on Tuesday and said that Aryan Khan was invited to cruise as a special guest.
"He (Aryan Khan) was invited to the cruise as a special guest. He was invited by Pratik Gaba who was like an organiser. He invited accused 1 Aryan and accused 2 Arbaz Merchant. Both were invited by the same person. They both landed up together at the cruise terminal," Rohatgi said in the courtroom.
Rohatgi further attributed NCB's presence at the cruise to some prior information. "It appears that NCB had some prior information that people on this cruise were having drugs so they were present in a certain strength," he stated.
He said that nothing was recovered from Aryan Khan when searches were conducted.
"My client, Arbaz and many others were apprehended. A search was conducted and nothing was recovered from Accused 1 (Aryan Khan). No medical at any point was conducted to ascertain if he has taken any drug," he added.
Talking about the recovery of six grams of charas from Arbaz Merchant, Rohatgi said that Aryan Khan has no relation with him except for arriving with him there and there was no recovery of drugs from Aryan and no proof of consumption was reported.
What was the Aryan Khan Drug Case?
Bombay High Court on October 21 said that it would hear Aryan Khan's bail application on October 26, informed lawyer Satish Maneshinde. "We asked the court that the matter should be heard by video conferencing but the judge refused," added Maneshinde.
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan on October 21 met his son Aryan Khan who is lodged at Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. According to jail authorities, the accused were not allowed to have visitors earlier in the wake of the COVID-19 but the restrictions were eased starting today. However, only two family members of an inmate are allowed to visit.
A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday refused to grant bail to Aryan and two others in connection with the seizure of drugs. Following this, Aryan Khan moved a bail application in the Bombay High Court against the NDPS court order on his bail rejection.
Aryan's friend Arbaaz Merchant's lawyer, who is also lodged in jail, also said that they will move to Bombay High Court today after NDPS rejected their applications. Speaking to ANI, Ali Kasif, Merchant's lawyer said, "We are trying to move the bail application of Arbaaz Merchant in Bombay High Court today. The other two are also likely to move bail applications in the High Court today." Also, as a part of the investigation, Bollywood actor Ananya Panday arrived at the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai office after the probe agency summoned her for questioning in connection with the Mumbai cruise drug case on October 21-22.
An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2. A total of 20 people, including two Nigerian nationals, have been arrested so far in the case.
(With inputs from ANI)
