Shiv Sena leader
Kishore Tiwari said that Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan is a
victim of vendetta by an officer of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) whose
wife could not make it in the film industry. The politician has made the
sensational claim in a petition to the Supreme Court requesting the court to step
in because, according to Tiwari, Aryan Khan’s fundamental rights were being
violated.

Also Read | Aryan Khan promises to serve nation after being counselled in jail

Tiwari, a well-known
farm activist, has further accused the NCB of engaging in “dirty vendetta” targeting
personalities associated with the film industry. Kishore Tiwari’s comments are
only an addition to the political wrangling over the superstar actor’s son’s
arrest.

Also Read | Aryan Khan arrest: Asaduddin Owaisi says won’t fight for ‘a superstar’s son’

Aryan Khan, 23,
was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), during a raid at a cruise
ship off the Mumbai coast on October 3. Khan was first kept in NCB custody and
later sent to prison. A special court will hear his bail petition on Wednesday.

The Maharashtra
Vikas Aghadi (MHA), the state’s ruling coalition comprising the Shiv Sena,
Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), have accused the anti-drugs
agency of targeting Aryan Khan at the orders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
government at the Centre.

Maharashtra Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray said a few days ago that the NCB seems to be arrested
in only catching celebrities. In his petition to the Supreme Court, Kishore
Tiwari said, “It is very relevant and painful to note that its incredible that
someone remains inside (jail) for so many days without seizure of drugs or any other
proof. No medical report of consumption, so no consumption.”

Tiwari’s petition also
seeks a magisterial inquiry into the “malafide role and vendetta style of
working of the NCB officer whose wife is in competition with other film celebrity/model
against whom NDPS Act action taken by this biased NCB officer”.

Reacting to the
petition, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said that the Maharashtra
government is supporting the “drug mafia”. “We are not against Aryan Khan or
any individual. We respect Shah Rukh Khan’s craft. But the way the Maharashtra
government is supporting the drug mafia and targeting the NCB, we want to ask –
what is the link? Is the state government getting kickbacks?” NDTV quoted Ram
Kadam saying.