Aryan Khan | drugs case
'WhatsApp chats reveal Aryan Khan regularly indulged in illicit drugs': Court says denying bail
Mumbai/IBNS: Rejecting Aryan Khan's bail plea, a special court in Mumbai on Wednesday said his WhatsApp chats appeared to reveal that he regularly indulged in "illicit drug activities", said reports.
Shah Rukh Khan's 23-year-old son, arrested in a drug case, will continue to remain in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail along with two other accused- Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha.
Refusing to grant bail, judge VV Patil said: "WhatsApp chats prima facie reveals accused Aryan Khan is dealing in illicit drug activities for narcotic substances on regular basis. Therefore, it cannot be said that Khan is not likely to commit similar offence while on bail."
"As argued by the learned ASG (Additional Solicitor General), though no criminal antecedent are there, from WhatsApp chats of Applicant No. 1 (Aryan Khan) it is reflected that he was indulging in illicit drug activities," he said.
The court observed that the material placed on record points to a "nexus" between Aryan and the drug peddler.
The court said that though nothing has been found from Aryan, six grams of charas was found hidden in his friend Arbaaz Merchant's shoe, and it seemed SRK's son knew about it.
"Accused 1&2 are friends since long. They travelled together and they were apprehended together at the international cruise terminal. Further, in their voluntary statements, both of them disclosed that they were possessing the said substance for their consumption and for enjoyment. Thus, all these things go to show that Aryan Khan was having knowledge of contraband concealed by 2 in his shoes," the court said.
According to the court, charges of conspiracy were applicable in the case.
"During the interrogation, they disclosed names of persons who supplied contraband to them. Thus, all these facts prima facie go to show that accused acted in conspiracy with each other."
The accused will now have to go to the high court with a bail plea.
Aryan, who was detained by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Oct 2 night following a raid at a rave party on a cruise, has been in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail since Oct 8.
Following the arrest, several top Bollywood personalities shared solidarity with Shah Rukh's son.
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