A Pune court on Thursday remanded five individuals, including Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse, to judicial custody in connection with the recent drug party raid.
All accused were presented before Additional Sessions Judge J.G. Dorle, where the prosecution argued for an extension of police custody, citing the discovery of incriminating chats and videos on their mobile devices. Investigators also stated their intention to trace the source of the narcotics.
However, defence lawyers opposed the request, pointing out that two women, from whose purses the drugs were initially recovered, had already been sent to judicial custody.
The case stems from a raid by the Pune police crime branch in the early hours of Sunday at a studio apartment in Kharadi, a posh suburb of Pune. During the operation, police reportedly seized cocaine, marijuana, liquor bottles, and hookah paraphernalia, arresting Khewalkar and six others.
The development has drawn considerable public and media attention due to the involvement of a high-profile political family member, sparking debates on substance abuse in elite social circles. Further investigation is underway to determine the extent of the network and the origins of the contraband.