A Pune court on Thursday remanded five men, including Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, to judicial custody in a high-profile drug party case. Additional Sessions Judge J G Dorle rejected the prosecution’s plea to extend police custody for Khewalkar, Nikhil Poptani, Sameer Sayyad, Sachin Bhombe, and Shripad Yadav, following their arrest during a Pune Crime Branch raid on July 27 at a Kharadi studio apartment.
The raid, conducted at 3:30 am at Staybird Azure Suite, uncovered 2.7 grams of suspected cocaine, 70 grams of marijuana, hookah setups, liquor bottles, and 10 mobile phones, with seized items valued at Rs 41.35 lakh. The prosecution, led by Amit Yadav, sought extended custody to probe “objectionable chats and videos” on the accused’s phones and trace the drug source, alleging non-cooperation and contradictory statements. However, defense counsels, including Vijay Thombre for Khewalkar, argued the drugs were found in the purses of two women—Prachi Sharma and Isha Singh—already in judicial custody since July 30, questioning the basis for detaining the men.
Khewalkar’s wife, Rohini Khadse, NCP (SP) women’s wing president and an advocate, attended the hearing, alleging political motives linked to her father’s vocal stance against a honey-trap scandal involving BJP minister Girish Mahajan. Eknath Khadse claimed the arrest was a “conspiracy to defame” him, citing no prior criminal record for Khewalkar and alleging evidence tampering, referencing the 2024 Porsche crash case. Medical reports confirmed liquor consumption by Khewalkar and another accused, but drug test results are pending forensic analysis.
Also Read: Khadse Claims Son-in-Law’s Drug Arrest is a Plot to Defame Him
The case, registered under the NDPS Act and COTPA, has sparked political controversy, with Opposition leaders like Sanjay Raut and Supriya Sule questioning the raid’s timing and evidence handling. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar defended the raid’s transparency, denying leaked visuals. The investigation continues to explore potential inter-state drug networks, with Poptani and Yadav having prior criminal records.
Also Read: Khadse Claims Son-in-Law’s Drug Arrest is a Plot to Defame Him