SRK’s son’s drugs trial: What we need to know about NDPS

With Aryan Khan, the son of Shah Rukh Khan, being detained, arrested and questioned for participating in a rave party on a cruise in Mumbai, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been in the news. While news channels and social media are agog with vague descriptions and rumour-mongering, many are worried that Aryan Khan and others have been subjected to relentless character assassination.

In this context, it is important to understand that Aryan Khan hasn’t been arrested. He has only been detained. IRS officer Dr. Kiran Kumar Karlapu says that it’s not easy to prove a crime under the draconian NDPS Act. He lists out the conditions that must be fulfilled for someone to be convicted under the provisions of the Act. The officer says that the below six conditions must be fulfilled.

1. Recovery under panchnama
2. Positive field kit report
3. Statements under Section 67
4. Chain of custody of muddemaal
5. Final report from an accredited lab
6. Mandatory compliances of Section 42

So, it’s a long way before the drugs case in which Aryan Khan is involved comes to a conclusion. He is innocent until proven guilty.