During the hearing in the cruise ship drugs case on Thursday, Aryan Khan’s lawyer, advocate Satish Maneshinde, described Khan’s version of events that happened on October 3 night of the raid conducted on the luxury cruise liner. According to a report by the legal portal Bar & Bench, Maneshinde, representing Shah Rukh Khan’s son said that Aryan was invited to the rave party as “VVIP”. He went to the party only with an intention to “add glamour”, argued Satish Maneshinde in court.
Aryan Khan was on the cruise as a “VVIP guest” and “a person connected with Bollywood wanted to add glamour to the cruise and hence invited him,” the lawyer claimed.
“I [Aryan] am nowhere connected with any other person in cruise, or other arrested accused. I have no connection with the organizers or the other arrested accused,” Maneshinde submitted in court.
He further added that the NCB officials had confronted Aryan Khan when he reached the international terminal of Mumbai port. Khan, according to his lawyer, was again questioned when they started for the ship. NCB searched Aryan Khan’s bag and his person and found nothing, claimed Maneshinde.
The lawyer further argued that Khan’s mobile was the confiscated and he was taken to the NCB office where he was interrogated and then placed under arrest.
Maneshinde accepted that Aryan Khan knew Arbaz Seth Merchant, who is also in NCB custody along with Aryan.
Aryan Khan’s lawyer submitted in court that the former’s WhatsApp chat with one of his friends named Prateek would bring out these facts. Prateek was the one who had introduced Khan to someone who was in touch with the organizers, submitted the lawyer.
The NCB rebutted Khan’s lawyer’s claims by submitting to the court that “recovery is not what is important but it is the knowledge that counts”. The central agency said it was necessary to interrogate Aryan Khan because of the knowledge he had as regards other people who may be involved in the drug racket.
The Mumbai court Thursday, sent Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan to judicial custody for 14 days. Aryan Khan was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on October 2, in connection with the luxury cruise drug bust case.
Today Aryan Khan and others accused in the case including were sent to Arthur Road jail after they tested negative for Covid-19. They were supposed to be sent to jail yesterday, but they were kept in the NCB office in Mumbai as the jail does not accept inmates after 6 pm.
Whatsapp conversation between Aryan Khan and 2 other accused revealed intriguing details
Interestingly, on Monday (October 4), a day after the raid, the NCB had told the Court that WhatsApp chats between the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan and 2 other accused have revealed ‘shocking and incriminating’ material about international drug trafficking. The Central agency informed that Khan discussed payment modes for purchasing drugs while using several code names.
The Court had held that a prima facie case is made out against Khan and other co-accused and sent Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha and five others to NCB custody till the 7th of October.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan and other accused have been declared medically fit as they have tested negative for Covid-19. They will now be shifted to Arthur road jail, from where they will be taken to court for a bail hearing. A magistrate court is likely to hear the plea today afternoon.
