Court sends Aryan Khan and 7 others to 14-day judicial custody; lawyer moves bail application

A Mumbai court on Thursday sent Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and seven others in 14-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged seizure of banned drugs from a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast. Their bail applications will be heard on Friday, the court said.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had sought an extension of their NCB custody, but the request was not granted.

Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha, and Arbaaz Merchant were arrested by the NCB on October 3 following a raid on a Goa-bound ship, while the other five were arrested the next day. They were produced before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R M Nerlikar at the end of their earlier remand. The court sent them in judicial custody even as the probe agency sought an extension of remand till October 11.

Read also: Mumbai court sends Aryan Khan and 7 others to judicial custody for 14 days

The Narcotics Control Bureau sought an extension of Aryan Khan's custody for 4 more days - till October 11. The star kid was first sent to NCB’s custody for one day. On Monday, October 4, his custody was extended to October 7. In their argument, the NCB stated that 17 people were arrested and that Achit Kumar, the latest arrested in the case, was taken into custody based on Aryan's statement. It also stated that another raid was to be conducted and any possible arrests will need to be confronted with those currently in custody.

Read also: NCB on allegations raised in Aryan Khan drugs case: We are working in the interest of the nation - Exclusive!

Ahead of the hearing, a report on Times Now stated that the NCB was likely to seek extended custody after the arrest of a foreign national drug supplier. According to the report, the NCB arrested a foreign national from Bandra late Wednesday night and recovered a commercial quantity of mephedrone (MD) from him. The man in question was reportedly found in an area that was in close proximity to both Aryan and his friend, Arbaaz Merchant.

Senior counsel Satish Maneshinde, who represents Aryan Khan, alleged the star-kid was only being questioned about his stay abroad. He also stated that the foreign national who was arrested had 'no connection' with him. He spoke on Khan's behalf and said, "I was arrested and picked up at the gate. I had no complaint to the officers. As far as this case is concerned, on the first day, I readily agreed to one more day of remand, thinking there will be some development. Apart from some more arrests, nothing more has happened. As far as my interrogation that has taken place, it was connected to my stay abroad. Nothing else has been questioned. If the arrested are picked up on my statement, any senior officer connected with my investigation would ascertain that it is the same person or that I have any association, but nothing has happened. Yesterday, when they arrested Kumar, they should have confronted whether Merchant and Khan were related or not. They did not. The question of confronting should not be the only ground. One more development is, the cruise organisers have been detained. They have arrested a foreign national with whom I have no connection so far."

Aryan’s lawyer also said, “Khan cannot be held hostage till they find the main accused." In his argument in the court, Maneshinde asked, ''Why should custody be given? No confrontation was done as far as I am concerned. No drugs, nothing in my bag, nothing on my person, I did not tamper with phone. Why would I not cooperate with the law? Apart from that, see the charges against me ... Section 8 (c), 27, 28, 29. If NCB has not managed to unearth any controversy so far, then what are they going to do now?"

After hearing the argument, the order from Chief Metropolitan Magistrate RM Nerlikar read, "Simply remanding the accused to NCB custody without reason is cogent ground for violating liberty. Therefore, on "vague" grounds in the remand application, the court ruled that extended custody cannot be granted".

According to reports, the ASG and Maneshinde argued over interim bail as soon as the court announced judicial custody. In his statement, Aryan's lawyer said, "I am moving bail application. Now we have a right to speak... his interim bail application I have, given copy yesterday so that they can give a reply."

Bail application hearing will be held tomorrow at 12:30 pm.

As the trial went on in the Esplanade Court, police officials were seen deployed outside Shah Rukh Khan's house. It was reported that the cops barred fans from assembling outside Mannat gates. Over the past few days, fans have been flocking to SRK's Mumbai residence to extend their support. Many have also been taking to Twitter to get hashtags like 'We Stand With SRK' and 'Release Aryan Khan' in the top trends.

Hrithik Roshan made headlines with his emotional note for Aryan. The actor, who has been a good friend of Shah Rukh Khan over the years, took to Instagram and posted a letter addressed to Aryan that read, "It's great because it's uncertain. It's great because it throws you curveballs, but God is kind. He gives only the toughest ones the toughest balls to play. You know you are chosen when amidst the chaos you can feel the pressure to hold your own. And I know you must feel it now".