Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, will have to appear before the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) today between 11 am and 2 pm to record his presence. The Bombay High Court enforced this condition while giving bail to the 23-year-old who was, along with several others, arrested by the agency in the drugs-on-cruise case. After 22 days in prison, Aryan Khan was freed from Mumbai’s Arthur Road Prison on October 30.

Although no drugs were found on Aryan Khan, the anti-drugs agency claimed in court that his WhatsApp conversations revealed his involvement in “illicit drug deals” and ties to a foreign drug cartel. 

The Bombay High Court placed 14 conditions on Aryan Khan’s bail, including the need that he not leave Mumbai without first telling the police  and that he appear before the agency every Friday. The conditions include, among other things, not engaging in similar actions, not communicating with other defendants, such as his acquaintance Arbaaz Merchant, and not speaking to the media.

The NCB can request cancellation of bail if any of these conditions are violated.

The high-profile case has taken a political turn, with NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik levelling severe claims and insinuations against NCB officer Sameer Wankhede, who is investigating the case. Mr Wankhede was born a Muslim, according to the minister, but he forged documents, including a caste certificate, to pass himself off as a Scheduled Caste (SC) person after passing the UPSC examinations.

Malik also accused Devendra Fadnavis, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, of participating in a video reportedly funded by a drug peddler. Fadnavis refuted the charge in a press conference. Malik, according to the former Chief Minister, has ties to the underworld, and he promised to present evidence after Diwali.