Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had reached out to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan when his son, Aryan, was in prison in connection with a drugs case, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
In the letter dated October 14, the Congress leader extended his support to the actor and his wife, Gauri Khan, and mentioned how it was not easy to see a close one in “such a situation”.
The Congress MP from Wayanad also asked Aryan’s parents to take solace in the fact that “truth cannot be held hostage for long”, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.
“The letter mentioned how the Khans are compassionate and have created goodwill in the community,” a person familiar with the matter said.
“That’s why the Congress leader can see widespread support for the Khan family. The Congress leader also wished the actor peace and strength,” the person added.
Aryan was arrested following a raid on a cruise ship anchored at the International Cruise Terminal in Mumbai on October 2. The cruise was set to go to Goa when a team of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) searched the guests and arrested Aryan along with his friend Arbaaz Merchant.
The agency claimed that six grams of charas in a plastic pouch concealed in Merchant’s shoe was seized and the contraband material was purportedly meant for consumption by both of them.
{{/usCountry}}The agency claimed that six grams of charas in a plastic pouch concealed in Merchant’s shoe was seized and the contraband material was purportedly meant for consumption by both of them.
{{/usCountry}}Both Aryan and Merchant were lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road central prison from October 3 till they were granted bail by the Bombay high court on October 28. While Aryan walked out of jail on October 30, Merchant was released a day later.
HT has not seen a copy of the letter by the Congress leader to the actor.
When HT reached out to Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, he said that the letter, if any, was personal and could not be made public.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Nawab Malik and Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had previously come out in support of the actor while raising questions over the conduct and nature of the NCP probe.