Aryan Khan said his parents advised him not to take drugs: Arbaaz Merchantt’s statement to NCB
India Today
In a statement to the NCB during the probe into the drugs-on-cruise case, accused Arbaaz Merchantt had said his friend Aryan Khan was told by his parents not to consume drugs.
Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and interior designer Gauri Khan, was given a clean chit by the Narcotics Control Bureau’s Special Investigation Team in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case on Friday. This comes seven months after he was arrested in connection with the case and spent 26 days in custody.
As per the NCB’s chargesheet, Arbaaz Merchantt, who was also arrested in the case, said in a statement to the agency that Aryan Khan told him his parents had advised him not to indulge in any illegal activity, especially drug consumption.
In his statements, Arbaaz Merchantt repeatedly denied any involvement of Aryan Khan. He also said that Aryan asked him not to bring any drugs on the Cordelia cruise as the NCB was active. However, Arbaaz still brought a little ganja in his shoes for self-consumption.
Arbaaz added that Aryan and him were close friends and the latter was aware that he occasionally consumed marijuana to calm himself.
In his statement to NCB superintendent VV Singh on October 6, 2021, three days after his arrest, Arbaaz Merchantt had given details of the person from whom he had obtained ganja.
The NCB also recorded statements of other friends of Aryan and Arbaaz during the probe. One of Arbaaz friend’s who was also accused at first but later let off said that he came to them and “apologised that because of him we all are in trouble”.
“Arbaaz told us that he has told NCB officers that we are not connected with this drug recovery from him,” said the friend.
