NCP-SP Leader Rohini Khadse Summoned Over Husband’s Alleged Drugs Party
Pune city police on Monday recorded the statement of Rohini Khadse, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) leader and daughter of senior politician Eknath Khadse, in connection with the alleged drugs party case against her husband, Dr Pranjal Khewalkar.
Rohini Khadse visited the Crime Branch office at Pune Police Commissionerate in the morning, where she was questioned by sleuths regarding the ongoing investigation. Speaking to the media after the statement, she said, “I have replied to the questions asked of me… The matter is sub judice, so it would not be correct to share the details with the media. We are cooperating with the police.”
She expressed confidence in her husband’s innocence, stating, “I am sure my husband is innocent and the same will be proven in a court of law.”
Dr Khewalkar, along with four men and two women, was arrested during a raid at apartment number 102 of the Staybird Azure Suite building in Kharadi around 3:20 a.m. on July 25, 2025.
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During the raid, police seized 2.7 grams of a substance suspected to be cocaine, 70 grams of substances suspected to be marijuana, and several other items, including ten cell phones, two cars, a hookah pot, liquor and beer bottles, with the total seizure valued at ₹41,35,400.
A forensic examination later confirmed that Dr Khewalkar had not consumed any drugs. A court granted him bail on September 25, 2025. Khewalkar’s lawyer had argued that the seized contraband was allegedly planted by the police for political reasons, claiming that the substances were neither recovered from his possession nor consumed by him.
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The case also involves other accused persons, including Nikhil Jethanand Poptani (35), a cigarette trader from DSK Sundarban, Amanora Park, and Shripad Mohan Yadav (27), a construction businessman from Akurdi. Poptani was previously booked in a cricket betting racket case registered at Kondhwa police station in May 2023. Yadav has an earlier record with three criminal cases, including gambling, cheating, and allegedly causing hurt to a government servant on duty at various Pune police stations.
(With inputs from agencies)
