
Arrest of Khadse's son-in-law in drugs case suspicious: Sanjay Raut
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Raut dubbed the arrest of Khadse's son-in-law Pranjal Khewalkar as suspicious and also slammed the ruling BJP, alleging it was 'targeting' family members of political rivals and maligning them.
Mumbai, Jul 28 (PTI) A day after the arrest of Eknath Khadse's son-in-law in a drugs case, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed the former Maharashtra minister was being targeted for linking BJP leader Girish Mahajan with an alleged honey trap scandal.
Pranjal Khewalkar, the husband of Eknath Khadse's daughter Rohini Khadse, was arrested along with six others after the police raided a 'drug party' at an apartment in Pune in the early hours of Sunday and claimed to have seized narcotics, hookah set ups and liquor from there.
Rohini Khadse is the state head of the NCP (SP) women's wing.
'The entire matter is suspicious,' Raut said.
'Khadse has been talking about honey traps for the last three days. He is talking about the involvement of (state cabinet minister) Girish Mahajan in this but there is no probe related to it. Now that Khadse is talking, his son-in-law has been arrested,' the Rajya Sabha member said.
Such incidents were occurring everywhere in Maharashtra, Raut said.
He also accused the police of having become a servant and targeting those who speak against the government.
Mahajan recently accused Khadse of trying to malign his image by raising baseless allegations in connection with an alleged honeytrap scandal.
The fight between Khadse, a BJP veteran who quit the party to join the then undivided NCP in 2020, and Mahajan is not new. Both belong to the Jalgaon district.
'We followed a principle that family members (of political rivals) were never dragged. Unfortunately, people from the BJP are now targeting family members, maligning them,' Raut charged.
He claimed that after the arrest of Khadse's son-in-law, Mahajan was just short of breaking into a dance.
NCP leader and former minister Nawab Malik's son-in-law was arrested in a similar NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act case and so was actor Shahrukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, Raut pointed out. PTI PR GK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Hindu
2 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP objects to Minister not holding meeting over shortage of sand, laterite stones; threatens to intensify agitation
Objecting to Minister in charge of Dakshina Kannada district Dinesh Gundu Rao not holding any meeting with elected representatives to find out a solution to the shortage of sand and laterite stones in the district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) threatened on Saturday that it will intensify its agitation to make the construction materials available to people. Addressing reporters here, Satish Kumpala, president of BJP Dakshina Kannada unit, said, 'Sand and laterite stones should be made available to people under the ambit of law.' Mr. Kumpala said that Mr. Rao spent a whole day in Mangaluru on Friday without discussing the matter related to the shortage of sand and laterite stones with MLAs, MLCs, and other elected representatives. Though the BJP had held protests over the shortage of construction materials and the matter was raised in the Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting, Mr. Rao was not bothered to hold any meeting to find out a solution. Mr. Kumpala said that a BJP delegation met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru a few days ago and apprised him of the matter. The party was hopeful of getting a solution. If not, the party would intensify its agitation. The BJP leader said that many construction workers in the district did not have employment as extraction of sand and laterite stones had come to a standstill. Thick, rough sand Refuting the claim by the Mines and Geology Department that sand of non-Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas is available for purchase at yards through website or DK Sand Bazaar App, MLA for Mangaluru City North Y. Bharat Shetty said that the sand in question is thick and rough, which is not suitable for plastering of buildings. Dr. Shetty said that people need fine sand for construction purpose and claimed that they were not getting sand through the App. He said that Mr. Rao and U.T. Khader, Speaker of Legislative Assembly, have held meetings in Bengaluru on their own to discuss the matter without taking MLAs and MLCs of the district into confidence. 'What prevents the district Minister to hold a meeting with all elected representatives?,' Dr. Shetty asked. Concurring with Dr. Shetty, K. Prathapsimha Nayak, MLC, said that rough sand was not suitable for constructing buildings. MLA for Sullia Bhagirathi Murulya, Kishore Kumar Puttur, MLC, were present.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
32 minutes ago
- Business Standard
BRO plans tunnels to ensure all-weather connectivity in eastern Ladakh
In a move to bolster strategic infrastructure, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is in the advanced planning stages of constructing numerous tunnels and high-altitude passes to ensure all-weather road connectivity in eastern Ladakh, a senior officer said on Saturday. The BRO is also aggressively adopting new technologies to accelerate project execution in this high-altitude region, where the working season is restricted to just a few months due to harsh winter conditions. "Primarily, Ladakh is linked by two national highways NH 1 and NH 3. We are responsible for NH 3. The Rohtang tunnel has already come up and we are planning on a few tunnels along passes like Baralacha and Tanglang," Col. Deepak Palande, director, works and resources, Project Himank, told PTI here. BRO's Project Himank was raised for the development of road communication in Ladakh region. It ensures the maintenance of communication and access to strategic areas close to the Line of Actual Control with China. Col. Palande said the planning of these tunnels is at a "very advanced stage". "The alignments are almost approved and the final survey is on. The detailed project report will be made soon," he added. He said each tunnel will have a different timeline, varying from five to seven years. "It is a very complex project. It depends on soil composition, soil content, rock content, technical surveys, geo survey reports, GSI-GTI reports. All these reports come into play," the officer said. The tunnels will help in ensuring all-weather road connectivity to eastern Ladakh, the area under Project Himank, he added. On strategic importance of the roads in eastern Ladakh, Col. Palande said, "Every road is important because it helps in movement of defence logistics, personnel, equipment and whatever military resources are required to be deployed during operations. These can be moved easily and it provides the flexibility for planning the military operations." The officer also said construction of several passes, including many high-altitude ones, is also going on. "We have completed Umling La. Mig La is coming up. Marshimik La has already come up," he said. Umling La is currently the world's highest motorable pass at a height of 19,024 ft above sea level, which will be succeeded by Mig La at 19,400 ft once completed. Eight out of 14 highest motorable passes in the world are currently under Project Himank. "There are other roads and passes across the Ladakh region which we are working on. For every ridge to be crossed, it has to be generally through a pass," the top official said. Col. Palande said the BRO is not following only the standard practices, it is adopting technology aggressively in its works in this crucial sector. "For example, we are investing and harvesting technology in terms of pre-cast. The working season is quite limited here, about six months. So, to apply your resources more effectively, pre-cast is helping us," he added.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
32 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Constitution under siege, BJP attempting ideological coup: Sonia Gandhi
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Constitution is "under siege" as the ruling BJP is using its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed. She alleged that the BJP is seeking to bring an "ideological coup" by replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few. In her special message read out at the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges - Perspectives and Pathways', Gandhi said the Congress would oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution in Parliament, in courts and on the streets, asserting that it is not just a political but an ideological commitment to defend every Indian's dignity. "Today, the Constitution is under siege. The BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed," she said. "Their ideological forebears glorified Manusmriti, rejected the tricolour, and envisioned a Hindu rashtra, where democracy is hollow and discrimination is the law. In power, they've eroded institutions, criminalised dissent, targeted minorities and betrayed Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and the working poor. "Now they seek to erase socialism and secularism, pillars of Ambedkar's vision of equal citizenship. This is not reform, but an ideological coup replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few," the former Congress chief alleged. She stressed that India yearns for the inclusive, just and democratic nation envisaged by our freedom fighters and Constitution makers. "That is what the Congress party stands and fights for. We will oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution, in Parliament, in courts, and on the streets. This is not just political, it is our ideological commitment to defend every Indian's dignity. I commend Abhishek Manu Singhvi and his team for reigniting this vital conversation. Our mission is clear - to reclaim the republic and protect the rights of each and every person," she said in her message. Gandhi said the Constitution is more than a legal charter and claimed that it is the moral foundation of our democracy, built on justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. Noting that the Constitution was shaped through the sacrifices and vision of the Indian National Congress, she said even before independence, the Congress imagined a Constitution "by Indians, for Indians". From the Nehru Report in 1928 to the demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1934, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru laid the groundwork and B R Ambedkar, as chairman of the Drafting Committee, gave form to these ideals. She said he warned that without social and economic justice, political democracy would be just a top dressing. "The Congress recognised this and acted on it, expanding rights, strengthening institutions, and upholding dignity and inclusion," she said.