Pune Police raided a house on July 27, alleging a rave party was in progress; seven individuals, including Eknath Khadse's son-in-law Pranjal Khewalkar, were arrested and sent to two days’ police custody.
Eknath Khadse and human rights lawyer Asim Sarode have alleged that no drugs were found on Khewalkar, and the visuals used to accuse him were misleading and meant for character assassination.
Sarode claimed police planted drugs and violated privacy by releasing videos of those present; the case may be taken to the High Court.
Pune, 29 July 2025: In a case that has stirred political controversy, Pune Police raided a private house on July 27 and arrested seven people on allegations of participating in a rave party. Among those arrested was Dr. Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of senior Maharashtra politician and former minister Eknath Khadse. The accused were produced in court and remanded to two days of police custody.
Following the arrests, Eknath Khadse held a press conference, alleging that his son-in-law was being deliberately targeted to malign the Khadse family’s reputation. He said Pranjal informed him that he was being followed and that there appeared to be a planned attempt to defame the family.
Khadse questioned the police's classification of the gathering as a "rave party." According to him, only seven people were present in the house, there was no loud music or dancing, and it was a simple get-together involving drinks. He challenged the police to define what exactly qualifies as a rave party, suggesting that calling such a gathering by that name was misleading and intended to tarnish their image.
Further criticism came from human rights lawyer Asim Sarode, who alleged that the Pune Police violated the right to privacy by releasing videos from the private gathering. He said there is no prior criminal record against Khewalkar and that no drugs were found on him.
In contrast, drugs were allegedly found in the purse of a female attendee who was not made the primary accused. Sarode argued that this discrepancy suggested a deliberate framing of Khewalkar.
Sarode also claimed that police planted narcotics to build a false narrative, adding that they exaggerated the quantity of drugs to ensure bail denial. He warned that this misuse of power and premature release of videos could backfire legally and may soon be challenged in the High Court.
“The visuals and evidence used against Khewalkar appear orchestrated,” said Sarode. “This seems more like a plot inspired by a film than genuine law enforcement.”
The incident has drawn sharp political attention in Pune, with growing calls for an independent investigation into the police’s conduct and motives behind the arrests.
