The Bombay High Court will today hear the bail application of Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, in the Mumbai cruise drugs raid case.
Aryan Khan approached the Bombay High Court for an urgent bail hearing after a special court under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on October 20 denied his request in the drugs case, later extending his judicial custody in the matter till October 30.
The plea come up in court as Sameer Wankhede, the Narcotics Control of Bureau officer leading the investigation, has been hit with a ₹ 8 crore payoff claim by a witness in the case.
The anti-drugs agency has backed the officer, citing an "impeccable service record". Regarding the payoff claim - by Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the case - the NCB said Mr Sail had turned 'hostile'.
Last week, a special court in Mumbai said Aryan Khan's WhatsApp chats indicated "he is dealing in illicit drug activities of narcotic substances on a regular basis", so it could not be said he is not likely to commit similar offences while on bail.
The court had also said that the material placed on record points to a "nexus" between Aryan Khan and suppliers and peddlers.
Though no drugs were found on Aryan Khan, the court said he knew about six grams of charas hidden in his friend Arbaaz Merchant's shoe, and this amounted to "conscious possession".
Lawyers Satish Maneshinde and Amit Desai, appearing for Aryan Khan, argued in court that the NCB was "misinterpreting" his WhatsApp chats to implicate him.