The NCB on Monday claimed before a city court that "shocking and incriminating" material recovered in WhatsApp chats of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and two others who were among the nine people arrested in connection with the seizure of banned drugs from a cruise ship off the city coast showed international drug trafficking. The agency also claimed that that in the WhatsApp chats he is discussing modes of payment to be done for procurement (of drugs) and that several code names are being used. Aryan Khan's lawyer claimed no drugs were recovered from his client's possession.
ASG Anil Singh appearing for NCB before a Mumbai Court said that all accused are connected with a gang and it is a racket. "Taking drugs has become very common. Families and the health of people are being affected. Youth think of these high-profile people as their role models. That is why we are trying to curb the drug menace. You cannot say that it is not a commercial quantity or no quantity as custody would be relevant as that is how the investigators can find out details...Unless we have custody of a person who has been regularly taking drugs for the last 1 year or 3 years... how will we find out who he is getting drugs from? How is the gang operating?," ASG Singh argued. Earlier in the day, one Shreyas Nair was picked up by the NCB, who had allegedly supplied drugs to Aryan Khan and his friend Arbaaz Merchant. His name was revealed in the mobile chats of Aryan Khan and Arbaaz Merchant. According to the NCB, the three had earlier met at parties and the proof was found in Aryan Khan's chats.