The seven accused arrested over alleged drug seizure from an apartment in Pune, where they were allegedly partying, were remanded in police custody till July 29. Dr Pranjal Khewalkar, husband of a prominent NCP (SP) leader Rohini Khadse and son-in law of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, was among the seven accused remanded by the court of judicial magistrate (first class) N S Bari. Police told the court that they want to investigate the source of the contraband seized and added the two of the accused had prior criminal records. Khewalkar's lawyer Vijaysinh Thombre raised doubts that police may have planted the contraband seized in this case for “political” reasons. According to the police, they raided apartment number 102 of the Staybird Azure Suite building in Kharadi around 3.20 am. Police sources said that Khewalkar had booked the apartment days in his name. During the raid, police 2.7 grams of substance suspected to be cocaine, 70 grams of substances suspected to be marijuana. Police said Dr Khewalkar was found at the spot along with cigarette trader Nikhil Jethanand Poptani (35) of DSK Sundarban, who was booked in an online cricket betting racket case registered at Kondhwa police station in May 2023. Construction businessman Shripad Mohan Yadav (27) of Akurdi, was earlier booked in three criminal cases of gambling, cheating and allegedly causing hurt to a government servant on duty, was also among the accused who were present at the spot. Four others including a hardware businessman Sameer Fakir Mohammed Sayyed (41) of NIBM Road, a private company employee Sachin Sonaji Bhombe (42) of Wagholi, and two women Isha Devjyot Singh (22) of Aundh and Prachi Gopal Sharma (23) from Mahalunge, who were present at the spot, police said. All seven were arrested under sections of the NDPS) Act and Cigaretts and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act (COTPA) at the Kharadi police station. Seeking the police custody of the accused for seven days, Assistant public prosecutor Priyanka Vengurlekar argued that 2.7 grams of cocaine, which is an “intermediate quatity” of drugs, was seized from the accused. Investigation is being done to know from where the contraband was purchased, she said. Police said a probe was on to know the main accused in this case and investigate whether any accused have links with any inter-state drug smuggling racket. Police also told the court they want to investigate the accused on why three rooms in “Staybird” were booked from July 25 to July 28. Police said interrogation of the accused was required for searching three persons who are known to have visited the hotel premises. Police are also probing the role of two women arrested in this case. Meanwhile, during the argument prosecution lawyer Vengurlekar called it a case of “rave party”, to which defence lawyers told the court that it cannot be termed so. Defence lawyer Thombre argued that drugs were neither consumed by Khewalkar nor recovered from his possession, so the charges against him under NDPS Act are false and made with political purposes. During his arguments, Thombre claimed that police may have planted the drugs to frame Khewalkar. Lawyers representing other accused argued their police custody was not essential.
