Pune Drug Party Case: Objectionable Videos, Drug Chat Recovered from Accused’s Devices; Court Sends Five to Judicial Custody
Pune, 1st August 2025: New developments have emerged in the Kharadi hotel drug party case as police told the court on Thursday that objectionable photos and videos of Dr. Pranjal Khewalkar’s alleged acts with multiple women have been recovered from hidden files on his devices. The material, sourced from his mobile phone, laptop, and camera, reportedly captures incidents during and after parties held at Staybird – Azure Suites Hotel in Kharadi.
According to police, Khewalkar, who is son-in-law of veteran politician Eknath Khadse and husband of NCP (SP) leader Rohini Khadse, had stayed at the hotel for 43 days over the last one-and-a-half years, often accompanied by different individuals. The cyber forensic analysis and witness statements have also confirmed that the accused persons knew each other for at least two years and had jointly organized parties at multiple hotels.
Drug Delivery Code Uncovered in Instagram Chats
Police further revealed that a conversation between Khewalkar and one of the co-accused on Instagram exposed how drugs were arranged. When the co-accused sent a photo of cigarettes and asked, “Do you want to bring that stuff?”, Khewalkar replied affirmatively, writing, “Keep it.”
According to Senior Police Inspector Vijay Kumbhar, the term “goods” was allegedly a code word for narcotics, and photos of women were also exchanged in the chat.
The court was informed that three bags of drugs had been seized from the party venue, and efforts are underway to track down the person responsible for preparing and supplying the drugs. Police said the accused were giving vague and misleading answers about the wanted individuals.
Electronic Evidence Under Scrutiny
Investigators have recovered a second mobile phone, laptop, camera, and DVR from the scene, along with multiple mobile phones and pen drives from the other six accused, including two women who are now in judicial custody. A detailed cyber forensic report on this material is expected in the next two days and is likely to be pivotal in the next phase of investigation.
Inspector Kumbhar stated that the accused responsible for preparing the hookah is also under the scanner and will be detained soon.
Judicial Custody for Main Accused
The accused produced before Judicial Magistrate (First Class) N.S. Bari on Thursday include:
Dr. Pranjal Khewalkar (41), Indraprastha Society, Hadapsar
Nikhil Jethanand Poptani (35), DSK Sunderban, Malwadi
Sameer Fakir Mohammad Sayyed (41), Orchid Society, NIBM Road
Sachin Sonaji Bhombe (42), Diamond Park Society, Wagholi
Shripad Mohan Yadav (27), Panchtaranagar, Akurdi
After hearing arguments from Public Prosecutor Yogesh Kadam, who requested a three-day extension of police custody, and defence lawyers Hrishikesh Ganu, Vijaysingh Thombre, Pushkar Durge, and Sachin Jalte-Patil, the court remanded the accused to judicial custody.
Defence Disputes Evidence Link to Drugs
Defence lawyers challenged the prosecution’s narrative, arguing that the photos and videos recovered have no direct connection to the alleged drug crime, and that the report on the seized substances is still pending. They also questioned whether the recovered items legally fall under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, stating that the definition of “goods” used by police is ambiguous and not recognized under the Act.
They claimed the police were diverting attention by focusing on mobile data without showing its relevance to the alleged drug offence. “The investigation into electronic items doesn’t require the presence of the accused. This is being used to prolong custody,” the defence argued.
