Nawab Malik trying to change narrative at someone's behest by bringing BJP's name: Fadnavis on cruise party case

Responding to the NCP's leader Nawab Malik allegations on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the cruise party case, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that Malik is trying to change the narrative at someone's behest by bringing in the party's name.

Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik alleged that Narcotics Control Bureau raid onboard a Mumbai cruise was "forgery", and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has misused the central agency to frame Aryan Khan.

"The primary question is not as to who was there; if they were affiliated with BJP or not...(Maharashtra Minister) Nawab Malik is trying to change the narrative at someone's behest by bringing in BJP's name," Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis told ANI.

"The truth would come out soon," added Fadnavis.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night.

A total of 16 arrests have been made in this case and a probe is underway, said NCB Mumbai Director Sameer Wankhede on Wednesday.

Eight persons including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra and Mohak Jaswal were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court on Monday which remanded them to NCB custody till October 7.

Eight persons were detained for questioning by the NCB in connection with the drug seizure on the cruise ship, according to NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede. All of the eight persons were later arrested on October 3.

Three accused including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court which remanded them to NCB custody till October 4.

As per the NCB, three persons have been booked under Section 8C, 20B, 27 (Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 35 (Presumption of culpable mental state) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

8C of NDPS Act refers to prohibition to produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse, use, consume, import inter-State, export inter-State, import into India, export from India or tranship any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance while Section 20B deals with punishment for producing, manufacturing, possessing, selling, purchasing, transportation, imports inter-State, exports inter-State or use of cannabis.

Satish Maneshinde, the lawyer arguing in defence of Aryan Khan said in the Court, "Accused number 1, Aryan Khan was invited for the cruise party. However, he did not have a boarding pass. He didn't have any seats or cabins there. Secondly, according to the seizure, nothing has been found in his possession. He is arrested only based on chats."

(ANI)

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