‘Won’t leave Aryan Khan alone in jail, no harm should be caused to him’: Arbaaz Merchant’s father reveals what son said

Aslam Merchant said that he was ‘touched’ to hear his son Arbaaz Merchant sticking up for Aryan Khan. Arbaaz and Aryan, the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, were arrested earlier this month by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) after a raid at an alleged rave party on a cruise ship. The two are currently lodged at the Arthur Road jail.

In an interview, Aslam said that Arbaaz was concerned about Aryan. “Innocent kids should not be punished even before trial. As I was leaving, Arbaaz told me, ‘Dad, I will not leave Aryan alone in jail and no harm should be caused to Aryan. We all have come in together here and will leave together from here.’ I was so touched by those words; for him friendship is supreme,” he told a leading daily.

Previously, Aslam said that Arbaaz and Aryan were ‘taken aback’ by the fact that it was taking so long for them to get bail. Their bail hearing is currently underway at the Bombay High Court.

Aryan has been in judicial custody since October 8. Although no drugs were found on him, he has been accused of trafficking, on the basis of his WhatsApp chats.

Also read | Aryan Khan ‘has hope’ as he is Shah Rukh Khan’s son, says Arbaaz Merchant’s father: ‘We’re just common people’

Shah Rukh made his first public appearance since Aryan’s arrest last week when he visited the Arthur Road jail. A prison official told PTI that the meeting lasted for 15-20 minutes and four guards were present along with them. They spoke on the intercom, with a glass wall between them.

Neither Shah Rukh nor his wife Gauri Khan has commented on Aryan’s arrest. However, many of their industry colleagues have come out in their support, including Swara Bhasker, Hansal Mehta, Pooja Bedi, Sanjay Gupta, Hrithik Roshan and others.