NCB gives clean chit to Aryan Khan in drugs-on-cruise case

CHENNAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau gave clean chit to Aryan Khan in drugs-on-cruise case on Friday. The Bureau submitted a charge-sheet in drugs-on-cruise case in which Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested last year.

In a statement, the NCB said, "Based on an input, NCB Mumbai had on October 2, 2021 intercepted Vikrant, Ishmeet, Arbaaz, Aryan and Gomit at International Port Terminal, Mumbai Port Trust, and Nupur, Mohak and Munmum at the Cordelia Cruise. All the accused persons were found in possession of narcotics except Aryan and Mohak."

"Initially, the case was investigated by NCB Mumbai. Later, an SIT from NCB headquarters in New Delhi headed by Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (Operations), was constituted to investigate the case, which was taken over by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on November 11, 2021," the anti-drug agency said.

SIT carried out its investigation in objective manner. The touchstone of the principle of proof beyond reasonable doubt has been applied. Based on the investigation carried out by the SIT, a complaint against 14 persons under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is being filed, it said, adding that complaint against rest six persons is not being filed due to lack of sufficient evidence.

In March this year, the special court had granted a 60-day extension to the probe agency to file the charge-sheet.

Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3 in connection with a drugs raid conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau. Helmed by zonal director Sameer Wankhede, the NCB’s Mumbai unit raided a cruise ship off the city coast. After a 26-day-long battle, he was given bail by the Bombay High Court on October 28. According to the arrest memo, Aryan Khan was placed under arrest for "involvement in consumption, sale and purchase" of contraband.

Action against Wankhede

The government has ordered action against former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede for his alleged “shoddy” work while probing the ‘drugs-on-cruise’ case, official sources said. Appropriate action is also being initiated against Wankhede for allegedly providing a fake caste certificate, they added. Wankhede is an Indian Revenue Service officer and the Finance Ministry is the nodal authority to take the action against him.

(With inputs from agencies)

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