Aryan Khan, son of India’s Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, walked out of Mumbai's Arthur Road jail today at 11.05 am after officials picked up his bail order earlier on Saturday morning. The Bombay HC had granted bail to Aryan, 25 days after he was arrested during a drugs raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast on its way to Goa.
Dressed in blue shirt, Aryan was escorted amid heavy security towards his car as he left the Arthur Road jail for his residence in Bandra.
While granting Aryan and two others bail on Thursday in the drugs-on-cruise case, the Bombay High Court imposed 14 bail conditions on him, paving the way for his release from Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
In the five-page order, the HC said that Aryan and two others -- Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha, who were also granted bail, shall be released on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each with one or two sureties of the same amount.
As per the conditions set by the court, the trio will have to surrender their passports before the special NDPS court and shall not leave India without taking permission from the special court and that they will have to attend the NCB office each Friday to mark their presence.
Release stretched by a night
Fans of Bollywood superstar hoped for Aryan's return on Friday, but the 23-year-old's stay in Arthur Road jail was extended by a night as the bail order didn't arrive.
“The bail order box outside the prison was opened around 5:30 am and the officials collected six to seven bail orders, including those of Aryan. He is expected to be released within an hour,” PTI had quoted a jail source saying.
After the release order from the court finally arrived early Saturday morning, there were reports that SRK had left from his house 'Mannat' from Bandra to pick his son from the jail.
The superintendent of Arthur Road jail had said they have received Aryan's release papers and the process should be completed in 1-2 hours. "We have received Aryan Khan's release order. The process of his release should be completed in 1-2 hours," Nitin Waychal, Superintendent, Arthur Road Jail told media.
Emotional reunion
It will be an emotional reunion for Aryan Khan and his family at 'Mannat' as he returns after almost a month in custody since his arrest. The 23-year-old had met his father SRK on October 21 at Arthur Road jail, hours before the Bombay HC began hearing his bail plea. That was the first time he met a family member since his arrest on October 3. That was also the first time the Bollywood star, SRK made a public appearance.
Khan has been keeping a low profile since his son's arrest. According to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Aryan in the Bombay HC, Khan paused all his professional work to complete devote himself in this case. He was just a call away and kept in constant touch with his legal team. During an interview, Rohatgi also mentioned that the actor was trying to help the legal team with the case in every way possible and would also share notes with them. The senior advocate revealed that when he had met the actor to discuss the case, he noticed that Khan was only drinking coffee after coffee which made the former Attorney General for India slightly worried for the actor.
When the court granted bail to Aryan on October 28, SRK had tears in his eyes, Rohatgi further said.
NCB arrest
Aryan Khan, along with others, was detained by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) during a raid on a cruise ship leaving for Goa from Mumbai. The 23-year-old was then placed under arrest and sent for the custody on October 3. His bail plea was rejected by a Magistrate court and then a special court in Mumbai before the case moved to the Bombay HC where he was granted bail.