Narcotics found at Pune party; Khadse’s son-in-law among 7 detained

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a party at a rented studio apartment in Kharadi, in the eastern part of Pune, early Sunday morning

Pune: Seven people, including Eknath Khadse’s son-in-law, were detained on Sunday for allegedly possessing narcotic substances at a party in Pune, police said.

A total of seven persons, including Pranjal Khewalkar, were found at the party with narcotic substances, liquor, and hookah. (Representative photo)

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a party at a rented studio apartment in Kharadi, in the eastern part of Pune, early Sunday morning.

“A total of seven persons, including Pranjal Khewalkar, were found at the party with narcotic substances, liquor, and hookah. They have been detained,” deputy commissioner of police or DCP (crime) Nikhil Pingale said.

Khewalkar is married to Khadse’s daughter, Rohini, who is the Nationalist Congress Party or NCP (SP) women’s wing state unit president. She declined to comment on the incident when HT contacted her.

Senior NCP (SP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, reacting to the detention of his son-in-law Pranjal Khewalkar, questioned the intent behind the police action when contacted by news agency PTI. He said that it should be probed if there was a political motive behind the police action.

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

DCP Pingale said that after the raid, Khewalkar and others were taken to Sassoon General Hospital for medical examination.

“After the medical test, the seven persons are likely to be arrested. He, among others, is likely to be produced in court in the afternoon,” a police officer privy to the matter said.