A local court on Monday extended till October 7 the NCB remand of Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, although his lawyer pointed out that no drugs had been found on the 23-year-old.
The NCB had on Monday sought further custody of Aryan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant till October 11.
Opposing the extension of custody, Aryan’s advocate Satish Maneshinde argued that his client had no criminal antecedents. Maneshinde claimed no drugs were recovered from Aryan’s possession. “Nothing incriminating was recovered from Aryan Khan except his mobile phone. His friend (Arbaaz) was arrested because he had six grams of charas, but that has nothing to do with my client (Aryan),” Maneshinde argued.
Additional chief metropolitan magistrate R.M. Nerlikar on Monday sought to know from the NCB how much drug seizure was made from each of the accused.
Additional solicitor-general Anil Singh, appearing for the NCB, replied that six grams of charas was seized from Arbaaz, while five grams of cannabis was recovered from Munmun. All these are considered as “small quantity” under the NDPS Act.
Singh told the court that incriminating material was found through WhatsApp chats of the arrested accused, including Aryan, with drug peddlers and suppliers. “One cannot say that just because he or she is found with a small quantity, they are entitled to bail,” Singh argued.
The court on Monday extended the custody of the trio and six others arrested in the case till October 7.
The court, in its order, noted that the investigation in the case was of prime importance and considering this aspect, the further presence of the accused before the NCB was necessary.