HC orders Aryan Khan to furnish Rs 1 lakh personal bond, asks him to surrender passport

PTI, Oct 29, 2021, 5:31 PM IST

A day after granting bail to Aryan Khan, son of superstar Shah Rukh Khan, arrested in the drugs-on-cruise case, the Bombay High Court on Friday made available its operative order in which it imposed 14 bail conditions on him, paving the way for his release from jail.

In the five-page order, the high court said that Aryan Khan and his two co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha, who were also granted bail, shall be released on a personal bond of Rs one lakh each with one or two sureties of the same amount.

As per the conditions set by the high court, the trio will have to surrender their passports before the special NDPS court and shall not leave India without taking permission from the special court and that they will have to attend the NCB office each Friday to mark their presence.

A copy of the operative order was signed by Justice N W Sambre on Friday afternoon. This would help Aryan Khan’s advocates secure his release from the Arthur Road prison in central Mumbai by evening.

The single bench of Justice Sambre had on Thursday granted bail to Aryan Khan, 25 days after he was arrested during a drug raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast. The court had said it would give its order on the conditions of bail and surety amount on Friday.

A certified copy of the operative part of the HC order would be now taken by Aryan Khan’s lawyers to the special court, designated to hear cases related to the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) along with the requisite documents and sureties.

The special court, after verification, will issue release papers which would then be submitted to the jail for their release. The same conditions shall apply to Merchant and Dhamecha. The court said if the trio violate any of the conditions imposed then the NCB shall “straightaway apply to the special judge/court for cancellation of their bail.”

“Each of the applicants/accused shall execute personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one or more sureties in the like amount,” the order said.

The court said the accused shall not personally or through anyone make any attempt to influence witnesses or tamper with the evidence.

The high court directed the trio to surrender their passports before the special NDPS court and shall not leave India without taking permission from the special court. The accused should give prior intimation to the NCB before leaving Mumbai and shall provide with their itinerary.

It added that Aryan Khan, Merchant and Dhamecha shall not indulge in any activity similar to the activities on the basis of which the present case stands registered against them for offences under the NDPS Act.

The HC further said the trio shall not establish any contact with any of the co-accused in the case or anyone involved in similar activities. The trio would have to attend the NCB office each Friday between 11 am and 2pm to mark their presence.

The high court shall attend all dates before the trial court and also join the investigation as and when called by the NCB.

“Once the trial begins, the applicants/accused shall not in any manner try to delay the trial,” the court said.

While Aryan Khan and Merchant are lodged at the Arthur Road prison, Dhamecha is at the Byculla women’s prison. Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on October 3 and booked under relevant sections of the NDPS Act for possession, consumption, sale/purchase of banned drugs and conspiracy and abetment. The judge will give a detailed order with reasons next week.