Satish Maneshinde: Grateful to that our prayers were accepted

Narcotics Control Bureau zonal director Sameer Wankhede approached Bombay High Court seeking interim protection against arrest over the inquiry against him by the Maharashtra government. He demanded a probe by CBI or any central agency in the matter.

Maharashtra minister and NCP state chief Jayant Patil on Thursday claimed that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was being used to "harass and defame" citizens. Speaking to reporters in Ratnagiri, he also said that party leader and state minister Nawab Malik, who has levelled various allegations against NCB's Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, was "bringing out the truth".

I was not aware what he was carrying, take it that he knew, but the most that they can allege against us is commercial quantity collectively. That is added with conspiracy. There is no 27A invoked against me. The conspiracy with 5-8 people with me, their recovery after you total up then there is commercial quantity. There was no conspiracy because there was no meeting of minds. There was no discussion that they met and decided that they will get the substance and smoke, that is conspiracy. If there are people in a hotel in different rooms and they smoke are all people in hotel in conspiracy. There is no material for calling it a conspiracy in this case. I knew only Arbaaz, I did not know anyone else. It is true it is difficult to prove that there is common meeting of mind. but facts cannot be ignored. There has to be meeting of minds. how can there be conscious possession for 6 gms. Their argument is that because it is not conincidence it is a conspiracy. Conspiracy can’t have anything to do with conjecture.

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, who has repeatedly termed the NCB's cruise drugs case as "fake", on Thursday sought to know why no action was taken against organisers of the cruise party. He also claimed that an organiser of the cruise party was a "friend" of the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede.

The Bombay High Court resumed the bail hearing on the drug case involving Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan. The hearing that entered its third day today, saw Additional Solicitor General of India (ASG) Anil Singh representing the Narcotics Control Bureau, arguing their case.

My contention is he was found in possession. He was connected with drug peddlers. It was a commercial quantity. Hence we invoked 28 and 29. It was only 4 hours and they were aware of the grounds so it cannot be an illegal arrest. Conspiracy is difficult to prove. Only the conspirator knows how they conspired. I will leave to the conscience of the court.

"My response is, though it was physically found with Arbaaz, Aryan had knowledge and he was aware of it. T̉herefore there was a conscious possession. Even if a mere attempt is made, charges can be applicable," says Anil Singh from NCB in response to Aryan Khan's application that his friend (Arbaaz) was found in possession of drugs, not him.

ASG Anil Singh: He (Aryan Khan) said there(in the panchnama) that contraband found from Arbaaz was meant for smoke during the cruise journey