Alka Verma-
Published On: October 20, 2021 at 17:30 IST
On Wednesday, a Special Court of Mumbai rejected the Bail Application of Aryan Khan in the cruise ship Drug case.
Mumbai’s Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Court also rejected the Bail Application of Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha along with Aryan Khan in the same matter.
Special Judge VV Patil delivered the order today after reserving it from last Thursday.
While the Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh was appearing for the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), on the other hand, Senior Advocate Amit Desai was appearing for Aryan Khan.
During the hearing, ASG Singh argued that Aryan was a permanent consumer of drugs and also the contraband found from Arbaaz Merchant was for the two.
Adding to it, he also argued that prima facie it has been found that Aryan has an important role in both taking and distributing the drugs and there is a hint of international links.
“This is the land of Mahatma Gandhi… this (drug) abuse is affecting young boys,” stated the NCB.
On the other hand, Counsel appearing for Aryan argued that neither any contraband nor any amount of money was seized from Aryan.
Also clarifying about the chats indicating international links, the Counsel stated that it’s only being used to entangle Aryan.
“None of the recoveries mentioned in the panchnama was from Aryan. If he did not have cash, he had no plans to purchase. If he had no substance, he wasn’t going to sell or consume,” stated Desai.
Also, giving reference to a situation, Desai pleaded that if by any chance Aryan was a regular consumer, the Court should take a reformative approach towards him.
Also, while the ASG argued that Aryan confessed that the drugs seized were supposed to be smoked on the cruise, on the other hand, Desai stated that confessional statements under Section 67 of the NDPS Act cannot be treated as a piece of Evidence.
Adding to this, Desai also pleaded, “They are some young kids. In many countries these substances a legal. Let us not penalize in bail. Let us not make it worse for them. They have suffered enough, they have learnt their lesson, if at all. They are not peddlers, racketeers or traffickers.”
However, the ASG argued that in society we have to get rid of such drug-related issues and that’s why we need strict actions to set precedent.
It should be noted that all three of them were arrested in their connection with the cruise rave party from where Drugs were seized and were booked under Sections 8(c), 20, 27, and 35 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Also Read: Cruise Drugs case: Aryan Khan’s Bail hearing reserved till October 20
NCB Court finds material in WhatsApp Chat of Aryan Khan & 2 others