Cruise Ship Party Case: Some links related to bitcoin, says NCB Mumbai Director

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai Director Sameer Wankhede on Wednesday said that there are some links related to bitcoin which the NCB could not share at present, in connection with a drug seizure on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast.

A total of 16 arrests have been made in this case and a probe is underway, added Wankhede.

"A total of 16 arrests have been made in this case, probe underway. There are some links (related to bitcoin), but can't share them for now. It will hamper the investigation...," Wankhede told reporters.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Mumbai court sent four more persons, who were arrested in connection with a drug seizure on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast, to NCB custody till October 14.

An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night.

Eight persons including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, Munmun Dhamecha, Vikrant Chhoker, Ismeet Singh, Nupur Sarika, Gomit Chopra and Mohak Jaswal were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court on Monday which remanded them to NCB custody till October 7.

Eight persons were detained for questioning by the NCB in connection with the drug seizure on the cruise ship, according to NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede. All of the eight persons were later arrested on October 3.

Three accused including Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant, and Munmun Dhamecha were produced before Mumbai's Esplanade Court which remanded them to NCB custody till October 4.

As per the NCB, three persons have been booked under Section 8C, 20B, 27 (Punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance) and 35 (Presumption of culpable mental state) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

8C of NDPS Act refers to prohibition to produce, manufacture, possess, sell, purchase, transport, warehouse, use, consume, import inter-State, export inter-State, import into India, export from India or tranship any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance while Section 20B deals with punishment for producing, manufacturing, possessing, selling, purchasing, transportation, imports inter-State, exports inter-State or use of cannabis.

Satish Maneshinde, the lawyer arguing in defence of Aryan Khan said in the Court, "Accused number 1, Aryan Khan was invited for the cruise party. However, he did not have a boarding pass. He didn't have any seats or cabins there. Secondly, according to the seizure, nothing has been found in his possession. He is arrested only based on chats."

Other accused in the case include Nupur Satija, Ishmeet Singh Chadha, Mohak Jaiswal, Gomit Chopra and Vikrant Chhokar.

( With inputs from ANI )