In a significant development, the Bombay High Court on Monday quashed the First Information Report (FIR) against former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni due to a lack of evidence. The court’s decision came as a relief to Kulkarni, who had maintained that she was wrongly implicated in the drug scam.
Court’s Observations
A bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande observed that apart from the allegations in the complaint, there was no substantial evidence against Kulkarni. The court indicated that Kulkarni’s plea to quash the case would be accepted, providing her with much-needed reprieve after years of legal battles.
Background of the Case
In April 2016, the Thane police conducted a raid at Avon Lifesciences Ltd, a pharmaceutical company based in Solapur. The raid led to the arrest of at least 14 individuals. The police suspected that the accused planned to procure ephedrine, a controlled substance often used to manufacture the party drug methamphetamine, from Avon Lifesciences Ltd. The substance was allegedly intended to be diverted to Kenya for the production of meth, which would then be sold in the US market.
Allegations Against Kulkarni
The chargesheet filed by the police named five other individuals as wanted accused, including Vicky Goswami, an alleged drug lord and Kulkarni’s partner, who was believed to be the mastermind behind the drug trade. According to the police, Kulkarni was residing with Goswami in Kenya and was involved in the drug operation.
Thane Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had alleged that Kulkarni attended a crucial meeting with Goswami and his associates at Hotel Bliss in Kenya on January 8, 2016, where they discussed the details of diverting the ephedrine from Solapur. The police further alleged that an attempt was made to make Kulkarni a director of Avon Lifesciences by transferring shares to her name at a nominal rate.
Lack of Evidence
However, the fourth and final chargesheet against Goswami and Kulkarni did not include any concrete evidence of the meeting or the share transfer. The police primarily relied on the statement of a co-accused, Jay Mukhi, recorded before a magistrate, to prove Kulkarni’s involvement. Mukhi later withdrew his statement, claiming it was made under duress, which weakened the case against Kulkarni.
Current Status of the Case
Following the raid, Vicky Goswami was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in 2017 and remains in US custody. The other accused individuals are currently in Thane jail awaiting trial.
