Drug party case: Accused give contradictory statements on narcotics source, say police

During the hearing, investigation officer Vijay Kumbhar told the court that the five male accused had given conflicting and evasive responses about how they sourced the narcotic substances found during the raid

A Pune court on Tuesday extended police custody of five male accused in the Kharadi drug bust case by two more days after the police sought time citing contradictory statements by the accused regarding the source of narcotics. The two women accused were sent to judicial custody.

He added that a new suspect, identified only as Rahul, allegedly involved in preparing hookahs at the party, had to be traced, and further custodial interrogation was essential to establish links. (HT)

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) AC Bagal passed the order after all seven accused were produced before the court following the expiry of their earlier remand granted by JMFC NS Bari on Sunday. The arrests stem from a raid at a suspected drug-fuelled party in Pune’s Kharadi area on Sunday, where seven people, including Pranjal Khewalkar — son-in-law of NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse — were detained. The other accused are Sameer Sayyad, Nikhil Poptani, Sachin Bhombe, Shripad Yadav, Prachi Sharma, and Isha Singh.

During the hearing, investigation officer Vijay Kumbhar told the court that the five male accused had given conflicting and evasive responses about how they sourced the narcotic substances found during the raid. He added that a new suspect, identified only as Rahul, allegedly involved in preparing hookahs at the party, had to be traced, and further custodial interrogation was essential to establish links.

The police also informed the court about the seizure of ten mobile phones and electronic gadgets suspected to hold crucial evidence, including chats with several women. The accused allegedly failed to provide clear information about three unidentified persons who were also present at the party.

Further, police said that Khewalkar had booked rooms at the hotel on July 25 and 27, and that he had hosted private parties in April and May, the details of which are still under investigation. Two other accused, identified as Poptani and Yadav, have prior criminal records and are being probed further.

Rohini Khadse, wife of Khewalkar and an advocate by profession, was present in court throughout the proceedings although she did not argue for her husband.

Advocate Vijaysingh Thombre, representing Khewalkar, claimed his client had been falsely implicated. He argued that the cocaine allegedly recovered was found in an empty cigarette packet inside co-accused Isha Singh’s purse and alleged it was planted. He pointed out that no contraband was recovered from Khewalkar, nor did he consume any, and accused the police of deliberately delaying the forensic report.

Advocates Abid Mulani and Yash Mehta, appearing for accused Sameer Sayyed and Sachin Bhombe, said the extension request was based on vague and repetitive grounds. “There is no fresh material or cogent reason to justify the further remand,” they submitted.

They argued that their clients had neither consumed nor possessed any narcotics and were being targeted due to a flawed and biased investigation. “Such actions violate Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees a fair, just, and reasonable investigation,” they said, adding that the accused were not informed of the grounds of arrest, in violation of Section 50-A of the Criminal Procedure Code and Article 22.