#MumbaiDrugBust: Court grants judicial custody to Aryan Khan, others

(MENAFN- NewsBytes) The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB ) produced Aryan Khan (Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan's son), Arbaaz Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, and five others, in a Mumbai court today for a remand hearing. To note, they were arrested after a surprise raid was conducted on Cordelia Cruise's Empress Ship by the agency on Saturday. Upon hearing all parties, the court decided to grant them judicial custody.

• Today's hearing comes a day after Merchant filed for bail
• Court allowed Aryan, Dhamecha to meet their family members
• Drug supplier Achit Kumar sent to custody till October 9
• Respondents are required to be confronted, Singh's request to court
• Dhamecha's lawyer claimed she doesn't even know Merchant and Aryan
• Twitter was clearly divided since morning regarding Aryan's bail
• 'We make mistakes but we mustn't glorify them'

Earlier, all of them were presented in front of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate RM Nerlikar on October 4, who had sent them to custody till today. Today's hearing, held at Esplanade Court, comes a day after Merchant filed for bail accusing NCB of "misleading" the court by hiding facts. The court ordered the petition be kept in abeyance till Merchant is in custody.

While Satish Maneshinde was representing Aryan , Special Public Prosecutor Advait Sethna fought on the central agency's behalf in the remand hearing for a while. Before the hearing began, Maneshinde requested the court to allow Aryan to meet the former's junior and also one of his family members, which was granted. Dhamecha was also allowed to meet a family member. The hearing began around 4:00pm.

Before that, Sethna informed the court that NCB wants custody of the accused till October 11. One Achit Kumar, named by both Aryan and Merchant, also was included in the hearing. He apparently supplied drugs to them, Sethna informed the court. While emphasizing, "Drug abuse is becoming like malignant tumor," he appealed for custody extension. Kumar was sent to NCB custody till October 9.

Additional Solicitor General of India Anil Singh stepped in for NCB after Sethna. Highlighting that "respondents are required to be confronted," Singh asked for custody extension. He also said, "Khan has filed for retraction of statement," adding it should not, however, influence the "purpose of custody." Maneshinde repeated what he told in the earlier hearing, claiming that his client faces "no allegation."

"Even if there is (an allegation) about supply of material, I have not purchased anything from him," Maneshinde reiterated, arguing for Aryan. Meanwhile, Dhamecha's lawyer said that she doesn't even know Merchant and Aryan. After a long hearing, the court granted judicial custody to the accused. Since jail authorities don't take in inmates without COVID-19 reports, they will stay at NCB's office tonight.

Amid all this, Twitter was clearly divided since morning. While a large section of netizens wanted Aryan behind the bars, another section showed strong support to the star kid . This divide was seen among Bollywood folks too—including former rumored lovers Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut . While Roshan extended his support to Aryan, Ranaut retorted, "Now all Mafia Pappu coming to Aaryan Khan's defense."

"We make mistakes but we mustn't glorify them... I trust this will give him (Aryan) perspective and also make him realize the consequences of his actions," the Gangster actress said. "Hopefully, it can evolve him and make him better and bigger. It's good not to gossip about someone when they [are] vulnerable but it's criminal to make them feel...they did no wrong," she added.

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