Special NDPS Court Directs Release Of Aryan Khan's Passport

The Special NCB Court has directed the return of Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan's passport seized after his arrested in the Cruise Ship Drug Case, last year.

Special NDPS judge VV Patil has also cancelled his bail bond and discharged surety.

"Admittedly, no complaint was filed against six persons including present applicant as no evidence surfaced during investigation. In view of the no objection given by the respondent NCB SIT, prayer for cancellation of bail bonds needs to be allowed and passport of applicant needs to be released," the court said in the order. 

While the order was being pronounced, Advocate Rahul Aggarwal for Khan said they were not pressing for the prayer of formal discharge from the case

"So far as prayer of the applicant regarding discharging him from the case, is concerned, applicant has not pressed the said prayer," the judge said in the order.

The NCB's SIT did not object to the prayer for return of Khan's passport since the complaint or chargesheet was not filed against him. "The applicant is not an accused in the instance case. No investigation is pending against him," the NCB said.  The NCB was represented by Advocate Advait Sethna.

Khan had approached the court last month seeking return of his passport nearly a month after the Special Investigation Team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dropped charges against him in the cruise ship drug bust.

Khan's plea has mainly been filed on the grounds that the charge sheet was not filed against him and five others. He was represented by Senior Advocate Amit Desai. 

Background

The NCB SIT, in its charge sheet in May, gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan, Avin Sahu, Gopal Anand, Samir Sehgal, Bhaskar Arora and Manav Singhal.

Of the 20 accused, 14 continue to remain charged with offences under various sections of the NDPS Act, 1985. Their names are: Aryan's friend Arbaaz Merchant (26), one Munmun Dhamecha (28), guests Vikrant Chhokar (33), Mohak Jaiswal (28), Ishmeet Singh Chadha (33), Gomit Chopra (28), Nupur Satija (29), alleged supplier Abdul Kadar Shaikh (30), one Shreyas Nair (23), guest Manish Rajgariya (30), alleged consumer connected with Khan- Aachit Kumar (22), suppliers Chinedu Igwe (27), Shivraj Harijan (33) and Okoro Uzeoma (40).

On October 3, 2021, the NCB arrested Aryan Khan along with several others following an alleged drug bust where the Cordelia Cruise Ship was docked. While nothing was recovered from Khan, his friend Arbaaz Merchant was allegedly found in possession of 6 gms of charas. Another 5gms of hashish was reportedly retrieved from one Munmun Dhamecha.

They were booked under Sections 8(c), 20(b), 27, 28, 29 and 35 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He was granted bail by the end of the month.