Pune drug party busted; ex-minister Khadse’s son-in-law among 7 arrested

Pune Police busted a drug-fueled rave party in Kharadi, arresting seven individuals, including Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of former minister Eknath Khadse. The raid triggered political controversy, with Khadse demanding a probe into possible motives behind the police action

Pune: Pune Police arrested seven persons after busting a “drug party” following a raid at an apartment here early on Sunday and seized narcotics, hookah set ups and liquor, officials said.

Pranjal Khewalkar, the husband of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse’s daughter Rohini Khadse, was among those arrested, they said. NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse said a probe should be conducted to find out if there was a political motive behind the police action.

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Rohini Khadse is the State president of the women’s wing of the opposition NCP (SP). The police’s Crime Branch carried out the raid at the studio apartment located in the upscale Kharadi area of Maharashtra’s Pune city based on a tip-off about a rave party, an official said.

The raid was conducted around 3.30 am on Sunday and a “drug party” was busted at the studio apartment, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingle said at a press conference here. During the raid and subsequent search, police seized 2.7 grams of a cocaine-like substance, 70 gm of a ganja-like substance, a hookah pot, various hookah flavours, and liquor and beer bottles, he said.

“We have arrested seven individuals, identified as Pranjal Khewalkar, Nikhil Poptani, Sameer Sayyad, Shripad Yadav, Sachin Bhombe, Isha Singh and Prachi Sharma, under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” he said.

All the accused were sent for medical examination and their reports are awaited, the official said. Reacting to the raid, Eknath Khadse said it should be probed if there was a political motive behind the police action.

Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sushma Andhare said the raid is a message for those speaking against the government.