MUMBAI: A court here on Friday rejected the bail applications of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, and two others — Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha — accused in the case of drug abuse aboard a cruise ship off Mumbai coast.
Additional Metropolitan Magistrate RM Nilekar observed that the bail pleas of Aryan Khan and the two others were not maintainable. On Thursday, the court had rejected the plea of NCB to extend the custody of the accused and sent them to 14 days of judicial custody.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh appearing for the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) strongly opposed the bail pleas on the ground of maintainability in drug cases. He argued that the offences against the accused are exclusively triable by a special court of sessions under the NDPS Act and not by a magisterial court.
Advocate Satish Maneshinde appearing for Khan argued there had been no recovery from Khan and that the rigours of bail under Section 37 of the NDPS Act would not apply to him. The ASG however alleged that WhatsApp chats between Khan and another accused — supplier Aachit Kumar — referred to “bulk quantities of the drug”.
Advocate Maneshinde argued that Khan was not accused of consumption, which is punishable under Section 27 of the NDPS Act. “Thus, the embargo on grant of bail under Section 37 of the Act will not apply. There is no material, even in messages.”
NCP says NCB let off BJP leader’s kin
The NCP on Friday alleged that the NCB let off two persons after the raid on the cruise ship, with one of them being the brother-in-law of a “high-profile” BJP leader. NCP spokesperson and state minister Nawab Malik said he would reveal more info on Saturday