'No Friday release': Aryan stuck in jail as lawyers stuck in traffic jam

Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) Contrary to expectations, superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is expected to spend another night in the Arthur Road Central Jail as his bail orders could not reach the prison authorities by the stipulated time of 5.30 p.m. on Friday.

Though his legal team led by advocate Satish Maneshinde had rushed from the Bombay High Court to the jail, a mere 8 kms away, they were reportedly stuck in the massive evening and weekend traffic jams en route.

Even Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh who left from his Bandra bungalow in a small motorcade to pick up Aryan from jail, returned home mid-way, though close family friend and ex-actress Juhi Chawla managed to complete the formalities for standing surety.

The court has accepted Juhi - a co-star of SRK in many films - as the surety in Aryan's bail and she signed the relevant papers and executed the bail bond before the court officials, said Maneshinde earlier.

"I am happy that Aryan will return home very soon," Juhi, sporting a monogrammed black face-mask with a 'J' (Juhi), told media persons briefly outside the court.

However, since the bail papers failed to reach the jail authorities on time, now Aryan maybe released only on Saturday morning after all the formalities are completed.

Thousands of fans had lined up the roads from Bandra to Chinchpokli, hoping to catch a glimpse of both SRK and Aryan, but dispersed disappointed after it became clear that the latter would not step out of jail on Friday.

Bombay High Court Justice N.W. Sambre granted bail to Aryan and two others - Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha - on Thursday evening, but the bail order verdict was issued on Friday afternoon, after which their legal teams initiated the remaining formalities.

Soon after the bail verdict was pronounced Thursday, SRK reportedly shed tears of joy, and later met his entire legal defence team which had been fighting for Aryan's release for the past four weeks.

The happy-go-lucky Aryan - who left home on October 2 for a fun-filled Mumbai-Goa cruise voyage, totally oblivious of what was in store - was suddenly detained after the NCB swoop, formally arrested the following day and has been in custody since then.

On Thursday, the bail verdict was received with cheers and bursting of fire-crackers by fans near his 'Mannat' home, and today, the bungalow was being specially illuminated and decked with flowers to welcome him.