As NCB continues to oppose Aryan's bail plea, his lawyers file counter affidavit

In the counter-affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court, Aryan Khan's lawyers have said the starkid has no connection with the NCB's witnesses Prabhakar Sail or his former employer Kiran Gosavi.

The lawyers of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s jailed son Aryan on Tuesday filed a counter affidavit in the Bombay High Court stating that the starkid has no connection with the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) witnesses Prabhakar Sail or his former employer Kiran Gosavi.

File photo of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, being escorted to court by NCB officials for a bail plea hearing. (AFP) (HT_PRINT)

Aryan’s affidavit came amid the NCB’s continued opposition to his bail application on grounds that he might tamper with the investigation in the drugs-on-cruise case, which it claimed was part of an international drug racket.

The NCB said the 23-year-old is not just a consumer of drugs, but also involved in illicit drug trafficking. The agency also claimed that Aryan and a woman named Pooja Dadlani, Shah Rukh Khan's manager, are tampering with the evidence and witnesses in the case in an attempt to derail the investigation.

“There is an international drug racket going on and the agency needs time to unearth it. If given bail, Aryan can affect the investigation, influence the witnesses and tamper with the evidence,” the NCB said when Aryan’s bail plea came up for hearing in the high court during the day.

Meanwhile, Aryan's affidavit further stated that the applicant is not a party to the ongoing allegations between the NCB’s zonal director and certain political personalities.

Allegations of extortion have been levelled against the anti-drugs agency, its Mumbai zone director Sameer Wankhede and others in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Aryan and some others were arrested earlier this month.

The NCB said attempts are being made to tamper with the ongoing investigation with a malafide intention to derail the probe into the case. "This is evident from the contents of a purported affidavit of one Prabhakar Sail," the agency said, referring to the extortion allegations made by Sail.

Regarding Dadlani, the agency said "this lady appears to have influenced panch witnesses when the investigation is ongoing". The NCB said the bail plea was "misconceived and ill-conceived". Investigation into the case so far has revealed Aryan's role in illicit procurement, transportation and consumption of drugs, the NCB said, adding prima facie probe has revealed that the Bollywood superstar's son used to procure drugs from his friend Arbaaz Merchant, also an accused in the case.

The affidavit further said even though there has been no recovery from Aryan Khan, he has "participated in the conspiracy". "Prima facie investigation has revealed that this applicant is not just a mere consumer of drugs as sought to be made out by him," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)