Mamta Kulkarni, husband declared absconders in drugs haul case

A Thane special court judge court judge HM Patwardhan has declared actress Mamta Kulkarni and her husband Vicky Goswami as absconding accused in the Rs 2,500-crore worth drug haul case. 

Mamta Kulkarni under scanner for assisting husband Vicky Goswami in running drug racket

"It is pronounced and declared that accused Vicky Goswami and Mamta Kulkarni are proclaimed offenders. The immoveable properties belonging to the accused be attached," special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court judge H M Patwardhan said in the order.

Public prosecutor Shishir Hiray has said, "Now, the law-enforcing agencies have to act and the police have to file the compliance report within 30 days about execution of order." He further added that the court's order has also given the police power to attach the properties of the accused.

"The order also empowers police to issue warrant against the accused on the last known address of accused," said Hiray.

The next date for hearing in the matter has been fixed on July 10.

In April 2016, theThane crime branch raided the Solapur unit of Avon Lifesciences and seized 18.5 tonne Ephedrine (used to produce the party drug methamphetamine) worth Rs 2500 crore. Manoj Jain, the Director of Avon Lifesciences and 16 others, including Mamta Kulkarni and her husband, were booked for smuggling.

In March 2017, the prosecution had sought to initiate the process of declaring Kulkarni and Goswami as proclaimed offenders.