Bollywood actor's son Shah Rukh Khan bail plea denied in drugs case
October 20, 2021, 12:02 pm

Bollywood actor's son Shah Rukh Khan bail plea denied in drugs case

Aryan Khan/Facebook

The BBC reported, the son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been denied bail 18 days after he was arrested for allegedly doing recreational drugs at a party.

It said that Aryan Khan, 23, was taken off a cruise ship that was on its way from Mumbai city to the state of Goa on 2 October.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) charged him under laws "related to possession, consumption and sale of illegal substances".

According to the BBC, Aryan has denied the allegations against him.

His lawyer Satish Manshinde has repeatedly told the court that no drugs were found in the possession of the actor's son, and that there was "no evidence that he had consumed any drugs".

But a court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected his bail for a second time. It had earlier rejected bail on 8 October. The court also rejected the bail pleas of two others accused in the case.

Aryan Khan's lawyers are expected to appeal the decision in the Mumbai high court.

In an earlier hearing, the prosecution had argued that it was necessary to take a "serious view" of drug use among youngsters. It also argued that Aryan Khan could not be treated differently from the 17 others accused in the case and should therefore not be released on bail.

Officials from NCB raided the cruise ship on 2 October - they said they had been tipped off that there were drugs on board. Aryan Khan was searched and interrogated before he boarded the ship - and eventually taken into custody by the NCB.

He was arrested the following day. He was initially in custody at the NCB's office, but was later moved to a jail.

The case has been dominating media headlines. While there has been no official statement from Shah Rukh Khan, some Bollywood personalities have defended Aryan Khan. Experts have also criticised what they say is the "excessive media gaze" around his arrest.

Many Bollywood actors and TV personalities have been under scrutiny since last year in what appears to be an investigation into claims of widespread drug use in the Hindi film industry. In 2020, the narcotics agency questioned at least four actresses, including Deepika Paduokone, but none have been accused of any wrongdoing.

They had also arrested actress Rhea Chakraborty in September last year for allegedly buying drugs for her actor boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput.

Rajput, 34, was found dead in his flat on 14 June. Police at the time said he had killed himself. But the case took an unexpected turn when his family accused Chakraborty of abetment to suicide, sparking months of media coverage and speculation. Chakraborty, who had denied any wrongdoing, was released from jail a month after her arrest.

Source: BBC

Queen Elizabeth cancels Northern Ireland visit due to medical advice President Putin supports paid leaves across Russia to contain COVID-19 surge

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”