Mumbai : In Wednesday’s hearing the Narcotics Control Bureau told a Mumbai Sessions Court Aryan Khan had “indulged in illicit drug trafficking” and was involved in the “procuring and distribution of drugs.” When court hearing resumed on Thursday NCB told the court has produced evidence of Aryan Khan is a regular consumer of drugs.
Anil Singh said, “The record and the evidence before your honour shows that he is a regular consumer of contraband for last few years. The contraband in possession of Arbaz Merchant who accompanied Khan was for the consumption of both of them.”
The agency in its response to the bail plea, which was submitted in front of the special NDPS court on Wednesday, said the quantity of the recovery is immaterial as the initial probe has revealed that Aryan Khan is a regular consumer of drugs and used to procure through Arbaaz Merchant.
“When the IO (investigating officer) asked if he had drugs, Arbaaz said he had drugs in his shoes… Arbaaz admitted that both (he and Aryan Khan) were going to consume it on the cruise.”
“There are provisions in the NDPS Act which have got nothing to do with quantity so that can not be the argument to say that the punishment is only for a year. Once the connection is established, then the quantity is not important. My submission is that this is not a case for grant of bail,” Anil Singh said.
He also said it was incorrect to link “use” of drugs with “consumption”.
“The definition of ‘use’ is that it can be used for anything other than personal consumption. That is, according to the definition, it is not being used for one’s own consumption,” Mr Singh said.
“In this case 15 to 20 people are involved and there is talk of conspiracy… if commercial quantity has also come to the fore,” he said, in reference to claims Aryan “indulged in illicit drug trafficking”.
ASG Anil Singh also sought to counter arguments by Aryan Khan’s legal team that their client was “not present” during the raid, had no cash to buy drugs and didn’t have any on him.
“The allegation of illicit trafficking is inherently absurd. This boy who has nothing, he was not even on the vessel. It is an absurd and false allegation,” Aryan’s lawyer, Amit Desai, had said.
In response Mr Singh said: “There are also sections… If drugs were not found from you but, in the same case, if drugs in commercial quantity is found from others, action can be taken on that basis.”
“My submission is that bail cannot be granted in this case,” ASG Anil Singh said.
Aryan Khan Shifted To Common Cell From Quarantine Barrack in Arthur Rd Jail
Aryan Khan and others have been shifted to common cell. As per the new COVID-19 guidelines, Aryan and others were kept in quarantine cell of Arthur Road Jail. Today, they have been shifted to common cell, which also means, trouble for Khan as no more privacy facilities.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
