Former Maharashtra minister and NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse has alleged that the arrest of his son-in-law, Pranjal Khewalkar, in a Pune drug case is a “politically motivated conspiracy” to tarnish his reputation due to his vocal stance on an alleged honeytrap scandal involving BJP minister Girish Mahajan and suspect Praful Lodha. Speaking at his residence, Khadse claimed the Pune police, acting as “puppets” for a “mastermind,” unfairly targeted Khewalkar, a doctor with no criminal record, as the prime accused in a raid that he disputes was a “rave party.”
On July 27, Pune police’s Crime Branch raided a studio apartment in Kharadi at 3:30 AM, arresting seven individuals, including Khewalkar, husband of NCP (SP) women’s wing president Rohini Khadse. Seized items included 2.7 grams of suspected cocaine, 70 grams of marijuana, hookah setups, liquor worth ₹41.35 lakh, 10 mobile phones, a laptop, three pen drives, and a hard disk from Khewalkar’s Hadapsar bungalow. Blood tests confirmed alcohol consumption by Khewalkar and another accused, but drug test results are pending forensic analysis. The group faces charges under the NDPS Act and COTPA, with custody extended until July 29.
Khadse questioned why Khewalkar was named the prime accused when visuals showed drugs in a woman’s purse, arguing she should be the focus, with others as witnesses. “Only seven people were present, no music or chaos—how is this a rave party?” he asked, alleging the term was used to defame his family. He cited the 2024 Pune Porsche crash case, where blood sample tampering occurred, raising concerns about evidence integrity. Khadse also accused police of leaking raid visuals and personal photos, noting Khewalkar’s claim of three-day surveillance by plainclothes officers.
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The arrest follows Khadse’s public feud with Mahajan over Lodha, accused of orchestrating a 2022 honeytrap scandal that destabilized the MVA government. Lodha faces charges of sexually abusing minors and raping women. Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP)’s Rohit Pawar, echoed Khadse’s suspicions, alleging the BJP-led government is targeting rivals’ families, citing similar NDPS cases against Nawab Malik’s and Shah Rukh Khan’s sons. Mahajan dismissed the conspiracy claims, stating, “If Khadse had a hunch, he should’ve warned his son-in-law.” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar emphasized impartial investigations.
Khadse, who left the BJP for NCP in 2020, demanded a high-level probe to uncover any political motives and hinted at legal action against the police. The case, with two accused—Nikhil Poptani and Shripad Yadav—having prior criminal records, has intensified Maharashtra’s political tensions, with the opposition framing it as a move to silence critics ahead of elections.
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