Aryan Khan Gets Relief From Court, No More Friday Visits At NCB Office

According to the court’s direction, Aryan had visited the NCB’s Mumbai office on November 5, 12, 19, and 26 and December 3 and 10.

Mumbai: The Mumbai High Court on Wednesday allowed the plea by Aryan Khan seeking modification and clarification of some bail conditions including weekly attendance at Narcotics Bureau Cell related to the cruise ship drug bust case.

A single-judge bench of Justice Nitin W Sambre said that Aryan Khan will have to appear before the Special Investigation Team of the NCB in Delhi as and when summoned, provided a 72-hour notice is given by the Central agency.

The court said that the applicant will have to inform the investigating officer and provide an itinerary before going out of Mumbai.

Aryan, through an interim application, argued through senior advocate Amit Desai, has stated that since the probe in the case has been transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Delhi office of NCB, his visits to the Mumbai office could be relaxed as the latter is not interrogating him and, consequently, his attendance every Friday may not be required.

Aryan was released from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail on October 30 after spending 26 days behind bars. A single-judge bench of Justice Nitin W Sambre of the High Court had on October 28 granted him bail two days before his release on 14 conditions, including appearing before the NCB every Friday.

In his application, Aryan has said that every Friday, when he visits the agency’s office in Mumbai, he is escorted by police officials due to the presence of a large number of media personnel outside the NCB office. As per the plea, he is relentlessly accosted by the press, gets extensively photographed and questioned, all of which is unwarranted. Aryan added that he has “firm roots in society” and will cooperate as and when summoned.

According to the court’s direction, Aryan had visited the NCB’s Mumbai office on November 5, 12, 19 and 26 and December 3 and 10.

On October 28, three of the accused in the case, Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha, were directed to be released on bail upon executing personal bonds of Rs 1 lakh each with one or more sureties in the like amount.