Stepping out of Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail in May after 26 months felt nothing short of a “miracle” for Ajaz Khan. He was detained by the NCB at the Mumbai airport in connection with a drug case in 2021 and was arrested in March same year.

Talking about his time in jail for over two years, he says, “One day feels like a year inside the jail. I don’t want to say anything about the person who made the case against me (refers to Sameer Wankhede), and the world is witnessing what’s happening to him. I wish him good luck. I was considered guilty even before the verdict was pronounced. I was finally granted bail by the Supreme Court, but I was in jail for 26 months and I missed out on work and my son’s growing-up years.”

Speaking further about the tough life in jail, he shares, “The Arthur Road jail is probably the most crowded in the world with 3,500 people imprisoned against the capacity of 800 prisoners. Ek toilet mein 400 log jaate hain. Imagine the state of that toilet! I went through anxiety and depression. It was tough but I had to survive for my family, which comprises my 85-year-old father, wife and son. I met many people, including former state home minister Anil Deshmukh, Sanjay Raut, Armaan Kohli, Aryan Khan and Raj Kundra, inside the jail. You wouldn’t want even your enemy to go through this. I initially refused to meet my son as I didn’t want him to see me in prison, but met him eventually after six months, as I wanted him to know my story from me and become strong for the world. He is fine now and turning out to be a good footballer.”

The actor has written a book on his experience inside the jail. He shares, “It’s not just my story but of 3,500 prisoners and their ordeal. I want to turn it into a web series and will soon start approaching studios. My only condition is that I will play myself in it. Ideally for such a show, real prisoners who are out should be cast, as only they can depict the real ordeal.” He adds, “I also want to return to work with a good role. I have worked with big stars in the South. I will ask them for work, and I am sure they will offer me something.”

Ajaz vows to steer clear of controversies and focus on his family and work. He says, “I don’t want to get embroiled in controversies. I have a son to raise and my father to look after; my first responsibility is towards my family. I have now become Godfearing, humble and non-judgemental.”

The former Bigg Boss 7 contestant has had a few run-ins with the law in the past. He was accused of sending lewd messages to a model in June 2016 and was also alleged to be in possession of banned drugs in October 2018.

He says, “Where is the girl who accused me of sending her lewd messages? I should have been behind bars if it was true. About the second allegation, I was framed and that’s why I was released in 10 days. I believe that some people wanted to tarnish my image.”

He was also arrested in July 2019 for an objectionable post on social media and was in police custody for two days. He says, “I have learnt my lesson and will stay away from posting my opinions on social media.”

Actor Ajaz Khan, who rose to fame with his stint on Bigg Boss 7, was granted bail after spending 26 months in Arthur Road Jail. On Friday, he walked out of the prison in Mumbai. Speaking exclusively to us after his release, Khan expressed his perspective on the events leading to his arrest. “The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) detained me at the airport without any warrant. My blood test was negative; I only had a sleeping pill with me,” Khan asserted.

The actor was detained by the NCB at the Mumbai airport in connection with a drug case in 2021 and was subsequently arrested in March the same year. His name allegedly surfaced during the interrogation of drug peddler Shadab Batata.

Khan vehemently denies any involvement in the crime, stating, “There is no evidence against me in the chargesheet. They arrested me based on a concocted story.”

Currently out on bail, Khan has approached the Supreme Court seeking exoneration. He remains hopeful of receiving justice. “Justice exists in India, but it is often delayed, causing immense damage to a person’s life. I know I will get justice. I want to clear my name for my family,” says Khan, who was arrested by Sameer Wankhade, former Mumbai NCB bureau zonal director, who is currently under scrutiny by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for multiple inspections, including the controversial raid on the Cordelia cruise ship in October 2021.

Reflecting on his 26-month-long incarceration, the actor admits to have undergone a transformation: “I have learnt to survive in any condition.”

However, he acknowledges the irreversible loss of the last two years. “I have gone through so much. I lost the web series Inspector Avinash. I had Covid-19; my family was going through depression; my son is 11 now, he was nine when I left him; he goes to school; and when I was behind bars, he was going to a psychiatrist for therapy. I felt extremely lonely during festivals, my wife’s and son’s birthdays. When I entered jail, I broke down mentally, physically and emotionally,” Khan ends.

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court recently rejected the bail plea of Bollywood actor Ajaz Khan saying his role in drug trafficking is disclosed by a witness whose statement was that “he was selling pills and he was exploiting young boys and girls, by supplying them drug”.

Justice Bharati Dangre in an order on August 30 said, “It can be seen that though there is recovery of small quantity of contraband from the applicant, he is connected to recovery of commercial quantity from the co-accused and, therefore, the case sought to be projected by the counsel (Satish) Maneshinde, cannot be accepted.”

Appearing for Khan, Maneshinde had argued that the NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) had detained the actor in March 2021 but there were contradictions in the arrest time, and he had been “roped in …in a mala fide manner and the case against him, built by the prosecution, is based on conjectures, speculations and sweeping assumptions”. Maneshinde said a small quantity, 31 Alprazolam tablets, approximately 4.5gm, were seized.

Centre’s counsel Shreeram Shirsat, opposing relief to Khan, had argued that houses of the co-accused were raided and various other drugs seized and on their information, Khan’s house was raided. He said, “It is not only the quantity of Alprazolam which would make him liable but the complaint accuses him of his involvement in the chain of procurement, distribution, transport of the drug seized in commercial quantity and a serious apprehension is expressed that in case the applicant is released on bail, he will tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses and once again may involve himself in trafficking of drug.”

The HC order said, “Considering the drug to be a menace and considering that in the past also, the applicant was arrested in connection with a C. R. which invoked Section 8(c) read with Section 22(b) of the Act, though has been released on bail, since the quantity was found to be non-commercial quantity, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant would again indulge in similar activity, since while on bail in the previous C. R. , he has committed the present offence.”

Mumbai: In an order rejecting the bail plea of actor Ajaz Khan in a drugs case, the special NDPS court observed that as a seller, he was dangerous to society and exploiting boys and girls by giving them drugs. Khan had been arrested in March.

“Persons involved in drug trafficking, peddling, financing and hatching conspiracy always take utmost care to hide their activities. They use code language and code words for their transactions. CDR and WhatsApp chats of accused also refer the same and the role of accused,” the court said.

The court added that at this preliminary stage, it can be held with certainty that he forged prescriptions in his wife’s name. It is alleged that 31 alprazolam tablets weighing 4.5 gm were recovered. This qualifies as ‘small quantity’ of contraband under Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The court also relied on the statement of an Ahmedabad-based doctor who denied writing the prescriptions. It held that the witness’s statement clearly indicates who Khan is and what is his position in life. The court said that the law and its process help those who approach with clean hands and not those who are motivated to grab a favourable order by hook or by crook.

“Granting bail to such [a] person will amount [to] putting premium on the illegal act and unclean approach of the accused which will ultimately convey bad message to the law-abiding society...,” the court said.

Seeking bail for Khan, defence advocate Taraq Sayed said that he was falsely implicated. It was also submitted that the tablets were prescribed for his wife. Sayed said the alleged contraband was of a small quantity and bail can be granted.

The court noted that in a prescription of January 16, 2020, the volume of tablets is not mentioned in milligrams instead 20 doses are prescribed. The court held that no doctor ever prescribes such tablets without content in milligrams. It said that even handwriting in both prescriptions does not indicate they were written by any doctor. The court held that while prescriptions for his wife are of December 2020 and January 2021, 31 tablets were recovered in March and April 2021.

“In my opinion, no evidence is required even to hold prima facie that these prescriptions are forged, fabricated...”

In the 72 hours since the death of popular television actress Pratyusha Banerjee, there have been at least three press conferences organized by the increasingly bizarre denizens of Mumbai's TV world, each spinning out sensational narratives, which have little bearing on the reality.

From Dolly Bindra, who stole into Pratyusha's Kandivali home when her body was still to be brought down, and covertly videotaped the scene, to a host of others who turned the young actress's tragic death into a sordid celebrity circus. The first 'media invite' came from actors Jay Bhanushali, Kamya Punjabi, Leena Dias, Shashank Vyas and Adaa Khan claiming to decode 'Pratyusha's Death Mystery'. Celebrity lawyer Falguni Brahmbhatt joined in.

Leading that conference was Pratyusha's rumoured ex, TV producer Vikas Gupta who took centre stage dressed in a Superman Tee and coordinated white-red shoes. Gupta immediately got down to the task at hand; pointing fingers at Pratyusha's boyfriend Rahul Raj Singh. “There is evidence that Rahul physically assaulted Pratyusha, many people know this. The relationship had begun to disturb her,“ he snarled as if auditioning for a Balaji TV show. Of course, there was no 'evidence' that he could produce.

The speed at which Vikas hurled allegations at Rahul was only rivalled by his and Pratyusha's close friend actress Kamya Punjabi's smoke breaks. “Rahul slapped Partyusha at a party, twice. There were marks on her neck and nose,“ she announced dramatically when her turn came to speak up.

Minutes before that the 'friends' had stopped Rahul's former business partner Sheetal Malviya and actress Heer Patel from coming on to the dais saying, “It didn't make sense as they were not as popular as the others.“

Earlier in the day, a Marathi starlet who visited the hospital where Pratyusha's body was taken, and where all the TV cameras had congregated had come out screaming and crying and even fainted. She was scooped up by her supposed boyfriend, all under the gaze of the camera.

Her histrionics were nearly matched by Rakhi Sawant, who registered her presence dressed in pink shoes and matching headphones, which she kept on for some reason and a flashy, fake Gucci tee. Sawant, who like Pratyusha was also a Bigg Boss contestant, pushed her way through the crowds for a dekko of the body. She began to fight her way by screaming, “Let me go in, let me go to her, I am in shaawwk... shawwk!“

At both Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital as also at Pratyusha's home, actress Sara Khan, Mouni Roy and Adaa Khan came with their hair and make up staff, making sure they got a quick touch up before going in front of the media. The TRP-raking tactics gained momentum with wedding planner-socialite Leena Dias, who claims to be Pratyusha's 'closest' friend, who told everyone that Rahul's ex-girlfriend Saloni Sharma was the primary cause for her misery. “Pratyusha had called me one night before her death and confided that Saloni used to trouble her,“ Leena revealed. 'Superman' Vikas was quick to chime in, “Saloni had tortured Pratyusha and Rahul never took any action.“

It's worth noting here that Dias had curiously cropped Pratyusha out of a string of pictures from a Holi bash, while Gupta had not spoken to the deceased actress in the three months prior to her death. He had offered her a role in one of his shows, which she had twice turned down. Not to be outdone by the scream queens and 'Superman', another Bigg Boss loser, Ajaz Khan, managed to get the cameras on him by proclaiming authoritatively at the funeral, “This is murder. We have to get to the bottom of this.“ Vikas was quick to pick up this line of thought, reiterating, “The cause of the marks on her body was Rahul. We have the evidence. If police are saying he is not involved then they are wrong. If the cops cannot handle this, then the crime branch will take care of it,“ before continuing in the same vein, “We saw Rahul eating chips.“ No doubt, that's evidence of a sinister act.

Designer friend Rohit Verma, who designs to turn up wherever the cameras are, said, “I had suggested a coral and gold dress for Pratyusha's wedding scheduled in Jamshedpur next month.“ He teared up as he revealed this momentous information and quickly regained poise by sipping on his double latte.

'Superman' Vikas wasn't done yet, “If Pratyusha had been pregnant, she wouldn't have died. She always wanted to be pregnant. But there is no pregnancy. Pratyusha had contacted a lawyer for a legal case against Rahul 10 days ago. There is a strong reason behind her suicide and whoever is behind this we will get them. We want justice,“ he thundered.

When asked if the 'We hate Rahul' brigade had officially registered their statements with the police, Leena told the media, “The police has not called any of us, but we want to give our statements.“

Given all the eyeballs these press conferences garnered, another set of Pratyusha's 'friends' called a press conference at an upscale resto-bar at Andheri on Monday. Rakhi Sawant has also called the press to Oshiwara Police Station at 1 pm on Tuesday to share 'important documents' and has promised to reveal many 'secrets'. We can't wait!

It was only last Saturday that Farah Khan, the newly-appointed host of Bigg Boss Halla Bol had told Mirror that she wants some “punches and fights“ in the House. Her wish has already been fulfilled. One of the recent entrants ­ Ajaz Khan ­ has been thrown out for resorting to physical violence while inside. A source close to the channel revealed that on Sunday evening Ajaz burst into a song rather loudly, much to the annoyance of Ali Quli. A heated altercation followed. Eventually, the two got into a fist fight with Ajaz trying to pin Ali down and even attempting to strangle him. “Seeing Ajaz's crazy behaviour, the Bigg Boss immediately decided to evict him. He's already on his way back to Mumbai,“ the source added.