From “He was invited” to “he was misled” – How Mumbai Media is shifting goalposts in Aryan Khan case

Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested on October 2 after Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted a drug bust on the Cordelia cruise ship. Along with Aryan, two accomplices, Arbaz Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha have been booked as well for the consumption, sale, and purchase of contraband under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. However, the Bombay media, under the heavy influence of ‘King Khan’ has started its standard procedure of shifting the goalposts to create an alternate reality of the situation. 

First came reports suggesting that an unsuspecting Aryan was invited to the cruise ship and had no idea about the rave party. Then came positive PR reports, where it was stated that Aryan was apologetic even after being arrested and cooperated with the NCB.  

A TOI report quoted an NCB official as saying, “Khan was apologetic when we asked him to accompany us to the NCB office,” 

Mumbai: Aryan Khan was apologetic, his friend hid drugs in his shoe, says NCB https://t.co/maabgfq8fC

— TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) October 3, 2021

While some reports claimed that a gullible Aryan took the onus upon himself to save his comrades by hiding the drug in his shoes and lens case, others claimed that Khan was innocent and that drugs were found in his friends’ shoes. A report by India Today says that the drugs were hidden in the lens case owned by Khan. The other accused arrested in possession of drugs had them hidden in medicine boxes, shoes, and between sanitary pads. 

During the investigation, it was confirmed that Aryan was booked when 13 gm cocaine, 21 gm charas, 22 pills of MDMA (ecstasy), 5 gm MD, and Rs 1.33 lakh in cash were recovered by the NCB. 

Meanwhile, Mid-Day reported that nothing was found on Aryan and that NCB had informed the court that Aryan was booked only on consumption charges that may attract up to one year in prison and up to Rs. 20,000/- as fine. 

Moreover, the remand application submitted in the court stated that the NCB has found WhatsApp chats “clearly showing the nexus of those arrested with suppliers and peddlers on a regular basis”. Chats of Aryan Khan reveal that he and his friend had discussed illegal drugs on more than one occasion. 

Read more: Pooja Bhatt, Sunil Shetty, Salman Khan and many more: Bollywood comes out in support of SRK’s son 

And yet, the media continues to present a version as if Aryan is an innocent 23-year-old who should be tried as a minor in the case, just because he is the son of an influential person. The Bollywood A-listers have already given him the clean chit and the paid media is being forced to parrot a similar line.