Pune ‘drug party' raid: CM Fadnavis' first reaction as ex-minister Eknath Khadse's son-in-law among 7 held
According to a PTI report, police arrested seven persons after busting a "drug party" following a raid at an apartment in Pune 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. Rohini Khadse is state president of the women's wing of the opposition NCP (SP).
Reacting to the arrest, CM Fadnavis said, 'Even I saw it only in the media. I've been attending programmes since morning, so I haven't received an actual briefing on it yet. Based on what is being shown in the media, the police have busted a rave party, and some people have been found there. Drugs were reportedly found.'
'Once I receive a proper briefing, I will be able to comment on it. Prima facie, it appears that a crime has taken place at that location,' the CM was quoted by ANI as saying.
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 told PTI.
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 in Pune.
During the raid and subsequent search, police seized 2.7 grams of cocaine-like substance, 70 gm of a ganja-like substance, a hookah pot, various hookah flavours, and liquor, and beer bottles, Pingle 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.
(With inputs from agencies)
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