LIVE Updates on the Mumbai Drug Bust: No Relief for Aryan Khan, Bail Order on October 20

LIVE Updates on the Mumbai Drug Bust Case: Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's son, received no relief from the special court today, as the decision on his bail application was postponed until October 20. Aryan, who was detained by the NCB following a raid on a dance party on board the Cordelia cruise ship last week and ordered to judicial custody, will spend six more days in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail. During the bail hearing on Thursday, his lawyer, Amit Desai, praised the NCB's efforts in combating the drug problem while also reminding them of his client's constitutional rights as he pleaded for his release. After being awarded judicial custody, Aryan has been detained at Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail since Friday. Today before the special court, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) continued to oppose Aryan Khan's bail request. They said that proof suggests Shah Rukh Khan's son has been a habitual drug user for the past three years. His companion Arbaaz Merchant was also found to be in possession of contraband, according to the agency. "This was for both of their consumption." As a result, bail should not be granted since Khan could tamper with evidence or influence witnesses, according to NCB in court.

A special court is hearing Aryan Khan's bail application after he was arrested in connection with the seizure of prohibited substances onboard a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai. After their Covid report came back negative, Arthur Road Jail Superintendent Nitin Waychal announced today that Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son and five others were moved to the common cell from the quarantine barrack. Meanwhile, Nawab Malik, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, who has been blasting the NCB and the BJP over the drug bust case, has claimed that he has received threats as a result of his "exposure."

The NCP leader has already questioned the presence of the man who became famous after his post-raid selfie with Aryan Khan went viral. The Pune police have now issued a lookout notice for him. He's allegedly been evading justice in a 2018 cheating case. Amit Desai, Aryan Khan's counsel, and senior advocate argued for his client's bail on Wednesday, saying that several countries have legalized some of these medicines.

Many countries have removed cannabis from their list of harmful drugs, he added. He even stated that SRK's 23-year-old son was not on the cruise and was detained while on his way to the celebration. "These substances (drugs) are lawful in many countries." Let us not punish them now, when bail is being sought. Let us not aggravate their situation (accused). They've been through enough, and they've learned their lesson if they've learned it at all," Desai added.

While opposing the bail request, the NCB stated that Aryan Khan had been using narcotics for a few years and was in contact with several individuals who appeared to be part of an international drug network for drug procurement. The investigation into foreign money activities is continuing, according to the agency. "Some foreign links germane to this applicant (Aryan Khan) have been found during the initial investigation, which prima facie indicate unlawful drug procurement." In order to approach the concerned foreign agency, the investigation requires enough time." In its affidavit, the NCB stated. On Wednesday, Special Judge V V Patil, who is assigned to handle cases involving the Narcotics, Drugs, and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, heard Aryan Khan's bail application.

The NCB's Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh stated that even if one of the defendants is released on bail, the investigation will be impeded. He told the court that the accused's (Aryan Khan and Arbaaz Merchant) WhatsApp communications were about large quantities of drugs and conversations with a foreign national.

“Drug trafficking affects the entire country, and drug consumption is a major crime. People, even college students, organize parties and utilize drugs on a daily basis, Singh maintained. He also refuted Aryan Khan's claim that he has not been recovered, claiming that Arbaaz Merchant first met Aryan Khan at his home before embarking on the trip. "The contraband (six grams of charas) found in Arbaaz's possession was to be utilized for consumption, according to the NCB panchnama." "Since Aryan Khan was aware of the ownership, this would be considered conscious possession," Singh explained.

According to the NCB's affidavit, it was "preliminarily established" that accused No 1 (Aryan Khan) obtained contraband from accused No 2 (Arbaaz Merchant) and sources related to accused No 2, from whose conscious possession six grammes of charas were retrieved. It went on to say that each of the accused's cases cannot be reviewed individually or separately since a preliminary investigation suggests that all of the accused, including Aryan Khan, have a close link/nexus for conspiracy to commit crimes.

Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Nupur Satija, Aachit Kumar, Mohak Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Avin Sahu have all filed bail petitions with the court.

Dhamecha's lawyer, Ali Kashif Khan Deshmukh, contended that no lawsuit had been brought against her and that she was a fashion model who had been invited to the cruise. He claimed that Dhamecha is unaware of Aryan Khan or Arbaaz Merchant, simply that Aryan is a well-known figure. The case has thus far resulted in the arrest of 20 people.