In Pune, seven individuals, including Pranjal Khewalkar, the son-in-law of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, have been arrested after police raided a flat in Kharadi early Sunday morning. The raid, which took place around 3:30 AM, led to the seizure of narcotics, hookah paraphernalia, and liquor.
Acting on a tip-off regarding a rave party, the Crime Branch of Pune Police targeted a studio apartment in the upscale Kharadi area. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingle stated that authorities confiscated 2.7 grams of a cocaine-like substance, 70 grams of a ganja-like substance, a hookah pot, various hookah flavors, and multiple liquor bottles.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Pranjal Khewalkar, Nikhil Poptani (35), Sameer Sayyed (41), Shripad Yadav (27), Sachin Bhombe (42), Isha Singh (22), and Prachi Sharma (23). They have been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. A local court has remanded all seven accused to police custody until Tuesday, July 29th.
Pranjal Khewalkar is married to Rohini Khadse, who is the state president of the women's wing of Sharad Pawar's faction of the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party).
Following the arrests, authorities took Khewalkar and the other suspects to Sassoon General Hospital for medical tests. Subsequently, a search was conducted at Khewalkar's residence in Hadapsar, where police seized a laptop, three pen drives, and a hard disk as part of the ongoing investigation to determine the source of the drugs.
Eknath Khadse, a senior NCP (SP) leader, has questioned the timing and intent of the police action, suggesting a possible political motive. He has called for an investigation into whether there was a political agenda behind the raid. Similarly, Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sushma Andhare has alleged that the raid is a message to those who are critical of the government.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis acknowledged the incident, stating that he had only seen media reports and had not yet received an official briefing. He commented that based on media reports, it appeared a crime had occurred and that he would comment further after receiving a proper briefing.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar mentioned that the crime branch team acted on a tip-off, leading them to the flat where they found the seven individuals partying. He confirmed the seizure of cocaine, marijuana, hookah pots, and numerous liquor bottles. Another police officer indicated that Khewalkar and others had visited several pubs earlier in the night but ultimately booked rooms in the studio flat for the party.
The incident has raised concerns about the prevalence of drug use and illegal gatherings in urban areas like Kharadi. Further investigations are underway, and police may summon more individuals connected to the party for questioning.
