Officials are also expected to summon a relative of actor, in whose name the premises was rented. Sources have also revealed that Gaud met the actor in Arthur Road Jail
Ajaz Khan. Pic/X
Suraj Gaud, an associate of controversial actor Ajaz Khan who worked at his office, has been produced in court and remanded to judicial custody until October 22. Gaud was arrested by the Special Postal Intelligence Branch (SPIB) of Mumbai Customs on Tuesday for allegedly ordering contraband from the Netherlands in his name which was delivered to Ajaz Khan’s office and received by Gaud. He was arrested red-handed when customs officers delivered a parcel to the location and found 100 grams of MDMA inside.
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Officials have stated that they are now tracking the person who booked the parcel. In his statement, Gaud has named a few individuals who are likely to be summoned for questioning. Gaud, who claims to have worked with Khan, said he was unaware that the parcel contained drugs and also revealed that he had received two to three similar parcels in the past.
Officials are also expected to summon a relative of actor, in whose name the premises was rented. Sources have also revealed that Gaud met the actor in Arthur Road Jail.
Gaud has been charged under various serious sections of the NDPS Act. The court remanded Gaud to judicial custody until October 22.
Advocate Samiullah Choudhary, representing Gaud, argued that his client is innocent, stating that Gaud works as an office boy with a salary of just R15,000 and cannot afford to purchase contraband worth Rs 30 lakh.
Officials from the Special Postal Intelligence Branch (SPIB) have indicated that they will soon summon actor Ajaz Khan to record his statement, along with his relative, in whose name the premises where the consignment was delivered had been rented.
In their remand application, the SPIB said, “The investigation carried out so far is in accordance with the law, and custody of the accused is essential for uncovering his role in the conspiracy, gathering crucial evidence, investigating his involvement in the import of the parcel, and reviewing his past import details through the Foreign Post Office, Mumbai.”
According to SPIB officials, a packet addressed to Suraj Bhagelu Gaud, imported through the Foreign Post Office (FPO), Mumbai, was intercepted and examined by Customs officials at the Postal Appraising Section. This led to the discovery of 100 grams of MDMA, a psychotropic substance covered under the NDPS Act, 1985.
The drug was seized under a panchanama, as it was believed to have been smuggled into India from Netherlands and was therefore subject to confiscation under the NDPS Act. During a search of Ajaz Khan’s office, officials also discovered a small pouch of marijuana in Gaud’s possession, which he admitted to consuming.
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