Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, who was detained on 02 October under suspicions of being involved in drug abuse and peddling, was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on 03 October. On that day, the holiday court sent him and seven others on the NCB remand, which was later extended until 07 October.
When the court heard the bail application on 07 October, the judge rejected NCB’s custody extension request and sent Aryan along with the others to judicial custody for 14 days and heard the matter again on Friday. However, the 23-year-old was not granted interim bail. Aryan Khan and seven co-accused were sent to the Arthur Road Central Jail, on Friday.
Incidentally, Friday also happened to be his mother Gauri Khan’s 51st birthday. Aryan’s custody was certainly not what she may have hoped for as a gift.
Noted advocate Satish Maneshinde, who represented Aryan, cited a total of 22 judgements including 1 from the Bombay High Court on how people caught with small and intermediate quantities are dealt with. He also read out statements on Aryan’s behalf.
“I am a 23-year-old with no prior antecedents. I happen to be from Bollywood. I went on an invitation, but refused when asked if I had drugs. They were honest not to accuse me of anything else. Data from my mobile has been retrieved and sent for forensics. I have parents and a family here. I have an Indian passport and I am not going to abscond. There is no question of tampering. I should be granted bail. I have been found with nothing, not an OUNCE but so much capital is being made out of it,” read out the advocate.
When the Additional Solicitor General from the prosecution argued that Aryan cannot be allowed to go on bail because he hails from an affluent family, Satish Maneshinde spelt out his defence as well. “Just because I come from an affluent family doesn’t mean I’ll tamper with evidence. What influence have I used? I have been suffering for the last six days. They held me for 6 days. Even if they want to say I will tamper with evidence, they should come with a positive case of how I will do it.”
