The Bombay High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing on the bail application of Aryan Khan, and the hearing will continue on Wednesday by Former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi.
The bail hearing of Aryan Khan in the Bombay High Court comes amid the cloud of suspicion that has settled over the Narcotics Control Bureau after allegations of massive lapses in the investigation, extortion and payoffs.
Former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi who is 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 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.
“I have nothing to do with the allegations and counter-allegations that are currently on public/social media between Sameer Wankhede and certain political personalities, also have no connection or concern with Prabhakar Sail or (KP) Gosavi,” said Aryan Khan, in an affidavit to the Bombay High Court before a hearing on his request for bail.
He has been in Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail since October 8 and was briefly in the custody of the NCB before that. Aryan Khan’s High Court bail hearing comes amid the cloud of suspicion that has settled over the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) after allegations of massive lapses in the investigation, extortion and payoffs, including an alleged ₹ 8 crore payoff to NCB officer Sameer Wankhede who is leading Aryan Khan’s investigation.
Aryan Khan’s affidavit followed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s statement to the High Court alleging that his father Shah Rukh Khan’s manager “appeared to have influenced” an independent witness who has alleged payoffs.
In a written reply to the High Court on Sunday, the NCB alleged an “attempt to tamper with the investigation and derail it”. The anti-drugs agency said it needed more time to follow what is called the “international drug connection of Aryan Khan” revealed in the investigation. “The same is being investigated and as per stipulated guidelines, sufficient time is required to properly unearth this international drug connection,” said the NCB.
“Further, considering the influential position Aryan Khan holds in the society, he may tamper with the evidence and influence other witnesses whom he personally knows is very much possible,” the agency told the High Court.
The accusation against Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani as agency opposes Aryan Khan’s bail plea.
Opposing bail for Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) alleged in a statement to the Bombay High Court that his manager Pooja Dadlani “appeared to have influenced” a witness. In its written reply to the High Court yesterday, the NCB alleged an “attempt to tamper with the investigation and derail it”.
The details of the reply emerged just before the High Court hearing on the bail request of Aryan Khan, who has been in jail since October 8 in the drugs-on-cruise case. The NCB refers to the allegations of a witness, Prabhakar Sail, who has alleged in an affidavit that Kiran Gosavi, the private investigator whose selfie with Aryan Khan went viral and threw up questions, had planned to demand Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan’s manager Pooja Dadlani to settle the case. Of this, he has alleged, Rs 8 crore was meant for Sameer Wankhede, the NCB officer leading the investigation.
