Will not comment on anything political or religious now: Shah Rukh Khan

Mateen Hafeez (THE TIMES OF INDIA; October 10, 2021)

Mumbai: Widening the probe into the drugs seizure case, NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) on Saturday summoned actor Shah Rukh Khan’s driver, Rajesh Mishra, at the agency’s south Mumbai office. NCB said it questioned Mishra for several hours before he was allowed to leave. Last week, the NCB had arrested Khan’s son, Aryan, and seven others while they were about to board a cruise liner. “Mishra is not involved in the case. He did not arrange drugs for Aryan Khan,” an NCB official said.

Meanwhile, NCB said on Saturday it arrested Santacruz resident Shivraj (38), who had allegedly supplied charas to one of the accused and was “one of the biggest links” in the case.

Aryan and five others have been lodged in Arthur Road jail’s quarantine cell. It is learnt Aryan, his friend and co-accused Arbaaz Merchant and one more person had left from Bandra for south Mumbai on October 2. When asked if Mishra had dropped them at Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, an NCB official said a probe was underway and he would not comment on it. “We wanted to know Aryan’s movement on that day,” said Sameer Wankhede, zonal director, NCB. On Shivraj,

Wankhede said, “Arrested accused Shivraj is one of the biggest links in this case. He had given charas to Arbaaz. We are trying to find out if there are any previous cases registered against him.” Shivraj will be produced before a holiday court on Sunday.

“(Drug) seizures were made at the terminal and from the ship as well,” said Wankhede. The agency has claimed to have made drug seizures from multiple places. So far,19 people, including a Nigerian, have been arrested by the NCB.

The two arrested women, Munmun Dhamecha and Nupur Satija, have been sent to Byculla women’s prison. An NCB official said they had also recovered drugs hidden in sanitary pads, which were carried by one of the accused.

The NCB on Saturday also questioned producer and developer Imtiyaz Khatri in connection with the case. “He was allowed to go and has been summoned on Monday again,” said an NCB source. The anti-drug agency on Saturday morning carried out searches at Khatri’s residence and office premises in Bandra but refused to divulge more details.