After spending nearly a month behind bars, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan has been released from prison.
According to media reports, Shah Rukh's bodyguard Ravi picked up Aryan at Arthur Road Jail where the latter had been incarcerated these last few weeks following a drug bust aboard a Goa-bound cruise ship on October 2. The car that picked up Aryan was reportedly headed towards a five-star hotel in Mumbai where Shah Rukh had his lawyer, senior advocate Satish Manshinde, already stationed to welcome Aryan.
The 23-year-old was granted bail on Thursday by the Bombay High Court in the drugs-on-cruise case but spent another night in jail as his bail papers missed the 5.30pm deadline on Friday. Authorities then confirmed Aryan will be released on Saturday.
Earlier this morning, jail officials were seen opening the bail box, setting off the process for the star son’s release. “We’ve received Aryan’s release orders, other release orders being processed too,” a jail official told NDTV.
Actress Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh’s co-star in the early days of his film career, signed the Rs100,000 bail bond for Aryan.
Aryan had been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), emerging as the first accused in the case that has seen 20 people arrested so far.
The anti-drugs agency found no drugs on him, but claimed in courts that his WhatsApp chats proved his involvement in “illicit drug deals” and links with a foreign drugs cartel.
The Bombay High Court has listed 14 conditions for his bail - Aryan cannot leave Mumbai without informing the police and has to appear before the agency every Friday.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh's sea-facing bungalow Mannat has been decorated awaiting Aryan's arrival. Earlier, lights and floral decorations were seen being ferried into the home.
