Drugs-on-Cruise Case: What Do Arguments in Bombay HC Tell Us About NCB Probe?

Khan, along with Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha were granted bail by the Bombay HC on 28 October.

Podcast on Aryan Khan bail and NCB drugs investigation. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

After twenty-four days in jail under charges of purchase, abetment, conspiracy, and possession of drugs – none of which were admissible in court – Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Thursday, 28 October.

The cruise ship drug case has been dominating the headlines for close to a month and buzzing with new updates since his arrest on 2 October. And despite the extensive pursuit and media hype around this high-profile case, the NCB investigation raised more questions than answers.

Appearing on behalf of Aryan Khan, former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi stated that his arrest was in direct violation of constitutional guarantees and none of the “unbelievable and shocking” WhatsApp chats recovered from Khan’s phone relate to the cruise party.

What has further muddied the waters in the NCB’s case, are allegations made by a witness in the case Prabhakar Sail, against Sameer Wankhede, who is the Mumbai NCB chief and in-charge of the investigation. In an affidavit, Sail claimed that he was made to sign blank pages by Wankhede and that he overheard conversations that point to corruption and extortion of money.

And parallel to the NCB case, something else is brewing, with Wankhede now being investigated for extortion and bribery by the Mumbai Police after four separate complaints were lodged against him. Seeing this, Wankhede has now been given interim relief from arrest by the Bombay HC.

The Aryan Khan case saga shows us how despite legal experts pointing out loopholes in the probe, the NCB continued with their investigation for weeks.

So, what were the arguments made by the NCB and Khan’s defense in the court order, which led to the bail order? And looking back, did the NCB probe have any ground?

And did those loopholes in the investigation along with allegations against NCB officials, stand to weaken the case?

Joining me today to discuss the NCB’s investigation in this case and the arguments made in the high court are Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor and Suhas Gokhale, a former senior official in Mumbai Narcotics Drugs Bureau.