The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested actor Ajaz Khan after eight hours of interrogation in connection with a drug case, reported ANI. This is not the first time Ajaz has been embroiled in controversy. Here are some of the times he was in the public eye:
Supposedly sending lewd messages to model (June 2016)
Model Aishwarya Choubey filed a complaint against Ajaz Khan for allegedly sending her an objectionable picture, which she later deleted. In her letter, she assured it wasn't a publicity stunt and she just wanted to 'expose' Khan. An FIR was registered against Ajaz on 7 June for the same.
The Bigg Boss contestant later denied all allegations. "I am really saddened. I am being made into a punching bag. I met this girl at a party through an actor-friend Javed Rizvi (who was in the film “Lakeer Ka Fakeer” with me). That’s it," IndianExpress reported him saying.
Alleged possession of banned drugs (October 2018)
Actor Ejaz Khan was arrested by the Navi Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell for alleged possession of banned 'ecstasy' tablets, popular in rave parties. Hindustan Times reported a police official saying, "We received information that a person possessing narcotics would be at the hotel. Hence, shortly after midnight, we conducted a raid and found the drugs on Khan. While we had information that there was a larger quantity of drugs involved, we found only 8 tablets (2.3g) on him."
Khan's lawyers claimed that girls he'd met earlier at a party gave him the packet which the police discovered drugs in. On the way to the CBD court, Ajaz said that he was being 'framed', "Saazish hai, phasaya jaa raha hai (It's a conspiracy. I'm being framed.)
TikTok controversy (July 2019)
On 18 July 2019, Ajaz was arrested for TikTok videos that allegedly contained objectionable content after a complaint was filed by a Shiv Sena worker. He was kept in police custody till 20 July. One of the videos allegedly had Ajaz talking about Tabrez Ansari's lynching and insulting political leaders while the other apparently showed him mocking FIRs registered against TikTok users for similar content. According to IANS, the police stated, "It was found that Ajaz Khan has created/uploaded these videos with objectionable content mainly promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc. and create hatred among public at large."
He was charged with IPS Section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and Section 67 of the IT Act (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form). He was later let out on bail on 22 July.
Alleged 'communal' remarks on Facebook (April 2020)
Ajaz's experience with allegedly 'communal' remarks doesn't end there. During the pandemic, Ajaz spoke about the incident of thousands of people gathering at the Bandra station. He allegedly said, "If an ant dies, a Muslim is responsible, if an elephant dies, a Muslim is responsible. If there is an earthquake in Delhi, a Muslim is responsible; i.e a Muslim is responsible for any incident. But have you ever thought who is responsible for this conspiracy?"
Several users claimed the statement was communally sensitive and the hashtag #ArrestAjazKhan eventually started trending on social media but the police said that he was arrested based on a private complaint. He was sent to police custody on 19 April 2020, one day after the arrest.
According to a report in Mirror Online, he was booked for IPC Sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language), 117 (Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505(2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes).
A police official also reportedly said that Ajaz had been posting content with abusive and 'communal language' during the lockdown.
In his most recent brush with the law, NCB detained Khan at the Mumbai airport according to ANI. The NCB had started investigating film and TV actors for alleged use of drugs after the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput last year.
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