The special NDPS court in Mumbai hearing the bail plea of Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan has reserved its order till October 20. Aryan Khan and the other accused will stay in jail till then.
Aryan's lawyer Amit Desai told the court, that WhatsApp chats are extrajudicial confessions, which is weak evidence, that the NCB is banking on.
He added, one cannot take away the liberty of the 23-year-old due to this. He went on to say, the court can impose conditions to make him available for investigation, but the case is fit for grant of bail. Aryan's lawyer closed his arguments by saying that Aryan Khan has no criminal history.
Aryan's lawyer said, everyone is equal before the law, so even a celebrity does not deserve any extra harshness. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, arguing for the NCB, said celebrities should be treated harshly as it sets an example.
The NCB had argued, that the defence that these are young boys and that should be consideration for bail, doesn't stand. He said, the youth are our future generations, citing that India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi & Buddha, and this is not what they fought for.
The NCB said, the investigation is at a preliminary stage and the agency still has to find out how all the accused are connected with each other in the conspiracy, so bail should not be granted.
Aryan Khan and the other accused have been charged under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, for consumption of banned narcotics, along with trading and possession of drugs.
Aryan, along with his friends Munmun Dhamecha & Arbaaz Merchantt were arrested on October 3 after the NCB raided the Goa-bound cruise ship. He is lodged at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai. So far, 20 people have been arrested in the case.
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