Blood tests show no drug use by Pranjal Khewalkar, others in Pune raid case, says FSL report

The blood reports from FSL in the Pune ‘drug party’ raid case have shown that none of the seven accused, including former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse’s son-in-law Dr Pranjal Khewalkar, had consumed drugs, an official said on Thursday.

The Pune Crime Branch had raided a studio apartment in the upscale Kharadi area in the early hours of July 27, following which Khewalkar and six others were arrested.

Police at the time had claimed 2.7 grams of a cocaine-like substance, 70 grams of a ganja-like substance, a hookah pot, various hookah flavours, and liquor and beer bottles were seized during the raid and subsequent search.

“The report from the forensic science laboratory has confirmed the drugs seized during the raid were cocaine, ganja and MD (mephedrone). However, the blood reports of Dr Khewalkar and the other six accused have come nil. No traces of these substances were found in their blood,” the senior Crime Branch official said.

“The reason for the negative blood reports was that the raid was conducted immediately after the party had begun, and the accused had not yet consumed the drugs. However, the ‘nil’ blood reports from FSL have no bearing on the case, as our charges are based on possession of contraband and not consumption of drugs,” he added.

Police have not slapped any Sections pertaining to consumption, the official pointed out.

“The entire case is based on the fact that drugs were brought in and Khewalkar was in full knowledge about it as he himself had stated in one of the chats instructing to keep the ‘maal’ (drugs),” the official said, adding a chargesheet in the case was filed last week.

A Pune court on September 25 granted bail to Khewalkar and two others.