A special court last week rejected an application filed by NCP leader Nawab Malik’s son-in-law, seeking permission to travel abroad for an event.
Sameer Khan, booked by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), is the founder of Super Star League that conducts events with celebrities in India.
His lawyers told the court that for the first time, the league’s finale was being held in Dubai and Khan wants to travel there for a month.
They added that Khan has a constitutional right to carry out the vocation of his choice, to carry out his business.
The NCB opposed the plea stating that Khan may flee and remain unavailable for the trial, which is yet to begin.
The special court said, “…the constitutional rights of the accused come with reasonable restrictions. The accused is being chargesheeted of serious offence under the provisions of the NDPS Act. Earlier, at his request, the condition of travelling outside Mumbai was relaxed only a couple of months ago. The accused appears to be slowly nudging and attempting to get modified the conditions imposed while granting bail.”
It added that the documents submitted by Khan about the league’s event do not show his role. The court said that while the photographs of previous events organised by him were brought on record, where he was seen with people from social and political fields, the NCB’s contention was right that there was no document about the proposed event this year.
“Even otherwise, if the event is proposed to be organised, the accused cannot seek relaxation in the condition to organise event abroad,” the court said in its order, adding that the reasons submitted by the accused were not of compulsive nature and there is reasonable apprehension about his availability during trial.
Khan was arrested last January by the NCB along with five others for their alleged roles in procurement, sale, purchase and transport of contraband drugs. Last year, while granting him bail, the special court had said that there is no case for illicit drug trafficking and conspiracy against Khan.