The special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Aryan Khan. His lawyers will now move Bombay High Court.
A sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected bail to Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan who was taken into custody by the Narcotics Control Bureau on October 2 after agency officials raided a rave party onboard a cruise ship that was en route to Goa from Mumbai.
The NCB had booked Aryan Khan under Sections 8(c), 20(b), 27, 28, 29 and 35 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.During the hearing, Senior Advocate Amit Desai with Advocate Satish Maneshinde, while appearing for Aryan, contended that no drugs or narcotics were ever recovered from him which meant that motive for sale or purchase of the banned substance does not arise.
Aryan Khan's lawyers said they will now approach the Bombay High Court. "We will approach Bombay High Court; awaiting order copy," said Aryan's lawyers.
They lawyers also claimed that out of those arrested by the NCB in connection with the case, Aryan only knew Arbaaz Merchant. Arbaaz is Aryan's childhood friend. He was on the cruise ship as an invitee, the lawyers said, adding that hence the charge of conspiracy in unfounded and unsubstatiated.
The lawyers put forth the argument that Aryan has not been booked under Section 27A of the NDPS Act, which directly deals with illicit trafficking, even though the NCB has accused him of it.
The NCB, on the other hand, has been citing WhatsApp chats of Aryan Khan with an alleged peddler. In one of the chats, there is allegedly a mention of 'commercial or bulk quantity'. This, the NCB claims, hints at possible involvement of an international drug network that remains to be unravelled.