01/11/2021
Senior Advocate Amit Desai: The only change in A***n Khan’s life will be his Friday visits to the NCB office -
Senior Advocate Amit Desai, who represented both A***n Khan and Arbaaz Merchant in court during the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) drug raid case speaks to ETimes about his opinions and thoughts on the case and the way Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is interpreted by the agencies and judiciary. Speaking about the way forward for A***n Khan, after having secured bail from the Bombay High Court, Desai says, “Nothing will happen immediately now; the legal process will take its course. A***n is home and he will probably relax and take it easy. Nine more people from the same case have procured bail after A***n. So now, a total of 14 people have got bail in this case. Six people are still in custody.”
Drugs case: A***n Khan’s friend Arbaaz Merchant released from jail
Desai reveals that the rest of the people might have to wait longer. He explains, “Because now, the sessions court has gone into a vacation. They might have to wait for another week. If the rest don’t get bail, the NCB, under the NDPS Act, will have to start filing chargesheets in the next few months.”
With respect to A***n, he says, “Till then, we will comply to the bail conditions and this whole issue will continue, calm down, and cool off.”
He further explains that once all the complaints are filed by the agency, the next step of the legal process will begin. He adds, “Depending on what are the allegations in the complaint and what evidence is provided. Right now, there is a bit of a hiatus that has set in. A***n can look forward to some peace.”
A***n Khan’s lawyer Mukul Rohatgi says NCB stretched the drugs case too far
When asked how the bail conditions will affect A***n’s daily life, Desai says, “His life changes only with the fact that A***n will have to go to the NCB office every Friday between 11 am to 2 pm and mark his presence.”
One of the main points that A