Pune Drug Party Case: Pranjal Khewalkar, Four Others Sent To Extended Police Custody Till July 31
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Pune | July 30, 2025 — A Pune court has extended the police custody of Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, along with four other male accused in connection with the recent drug party bust. Their custody has been extended until July 31. Meanwhile, two women arrested in the same case have been remanded to judicial custody.
All seven accused — Pranjal Khewalkar, Sameer Sayyad, Nikhil Poptani, Sachin Bhombe, Shripad Yadav, Prachi Sharma, and Isha Singh — were produced before Judicial Magistrate A C Bagal. The prosecution argued that the male accused were not cooperating during interrogation and were shifting blame onto each other regarding the source of the drugs found at the party.
The case stems from a raid conducted by the Pune Crime Branch at around 3:30 am on Sunday, where a studio apartment in Kharadi was found hosting a rave party. The raid led to the arrest of seven individuals and the seizure of substances including cocaine, marijuana, liquor bottles, and hookah paraphernalia.
Public prosecutor Amit Yadav told the court that further interrogation is needed to trace the supplier of the seized narcotics. He mentioned one individual named Vishal, believed to have arranged the hookah setup at the party, is yet to be located.
The court was informed that while two women were being sent to judicial custody, the prosecution reserved the right to seek their police custody later if necessary.
Appearing in court wearing a black coat, Rohini Khadse — Khewalkar’s wife and a politician with the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) — was present during the proceedings. According to public records, she is also a practicing advocate.
Defense counsel for Khewalkar, Vijay Thombre, opposed the extension of police custody, alleging that his client was being framed due to his wife’s public activism. Lawyers representing the other accused also challenged the need for extended custody, stating that there was insufficient justification.
The case continues to draw public and political attention, as investigations into the source and distribution of the seized contraband remain underway.
