Aryan Khan's Friend Arbaaz Merchant's Alleged 'Supplier' Remanded To One Day NCB Custody

A holiday court on Sunday remanded the 19th arrestee - Arbaaz Merchant's alleged supplier, to NCB's custody till tomorrow in the cruise ship drug case. Holiday Magistrate SD Kamath remanded 33-year-old Shivraj Ramdas Harijan accused of possessing small quantity (62 grams) of "dark brown sticky substance" alleged to be charas. Harijan is booked under sections 8(c) read with 20b(ii)A, 28 and 29 of the NDPS Act. Special Public Prosecutor Advait Sethna argued that Harijan's name was revealed during Aryan Khan's friend and co-accused - Arbaaz Merchant's - custodial interrogation. "The prayer is for NCB custody for just one day. Several people are arrested since October 3." This person's name came up from interrogation of A-2(Arbaaz Merchant). This person appears to be the supplier of charas to Arbaaz Merchant. Please note, the remand says he is a peddler." Seth's claimed that Harijan has "vital link" to the contraband supply chain and therefore his role, involvement and participation in the conspiracy need to be investigated. Opposing his remand, Advocate Sandeep Sherkhane submitted that there was nothing in the remand application to like Harijan to Merchant and it is suspicious why he was not named before. He further claimed that procedures of seizure and arrest were not properly followed which is a violation of the NDPS Act. "He was just sitting on the road drinking. They said haan, you are a peddler, come. They just want to put any tom, dick, harry in prison. There should be substantive evidence or a ground. There is no link in the remand copy between him and accused number 2," Sherkhane said praying for judicial custody. The court then remanded him to NCB's custody till tomorrow. Background On October 2, NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede led a team of officers for a raid at the International Terminal of Mumbai Port Trust from where the Cordelia Cruise liner was to depart for Goa. Eight people were detained after the NCB allegedly seized intermediate and small quantities of cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), charas and Rs 1,33,000 cash. Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha were the first to be arrested. They were booked under sections 8(c) read with 20b (purchase), 27 (consumption), 28 (attempt to commit offence), 29 (abetment/ conspiracy) and 35 (presumption of culpable mental state) of the NDPS Act, after six and five grams of charas was allegedly seized from Merchant and Dhamecha respectively. Nothing was recovered from Khan. The NCB claims to have retrieved chats for drugs between Khan and Kumar. So far, the NCB has arrested 19 people in the case and recovered commercial quantities of drug, as well. The agency arrested several individuals after the cruise that was allowed to set sail following the raid, returned from Goa, on Monday. Those arrested include 10 guests, four event organisers, three alleged suppliers and one consumer. Nine people are booked under the stringent section 27A of the NDPS Act for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders attracting a 20 year jail term.

Aryan Khan's Friend Arbaaz Merchant's Alleged 'Supplier' Remanded To One Day NCB Custody

Sharmeen Hakim

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