HC quashes FIR against Mamta Kulkarni in drug case; says ‘continuation of prosecution would be abuse of court’

HC quashes FIR against Mamta Kulkarni in drug case; says ‘continuation of prosecution would be abuse of court’

As a lifestyle expert with extensive experience in the entertainment industry, I find myself both intrigued and saddened by the recent turn of events in Mamta Kulkarni‘s life. It is always disheartening to see someone who has graced our screens alongside stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Govinda, find themselves embroiled in such a complex and controversial case.


On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court terminated an investigation against Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni concerning a drug seizure case from 2016 in Thane. The court ruled that the proceedings were pointless and annoying, suggesting further action would misuse the judicial system. In the words of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande, “We believe that continuing the prosecution against the defendant (Kulkarni) would be tantamount to abusing the court’s process.”

According to the Free Press Journal, the court determined that Mamta Kulkarni’s case did not initially provide sufficient evidence to charge her with an offense. Justices Bharti Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande found the proceedings against Kulkarni to be unnecessary, as they were considered ‘unjustifiably time-wasting and disruptive.’ The High Court dropped the charges against Kulkarni on July 22, but the full details of the ruling were not released until August 7.

Following an examination of witness testimonies and additional evidence detailed in the case file, the High Court noted that a suspected meeting regarding a conspiracy allegedly took place in a hotel dining area within Kenya. During this gathering, Kulkarni was observed sitting on a sofa close to the dining table. Ultimately, the court decided that the provided evidence was not substantial enough to maintain charges against Kulkarni under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).

As an overly enthusiastic admirer putting this into my own words, “The esteemed judges declared their decision to dismiss the case (FIR), stating that just being present at one gathering, regardless of accepting the material as it appears in the chargesheet, would never be enough to maintain a conviction based on the laws cited within the chargesheet.”

After thoroughly reviewing all the information presented in the case file, our conclusion is that the evidence does not support a charge against her under the NDPS Act, particularly sections 8(c) for drug consumption and 9(a) regarding the power of the Central Government to control and regulate.

On the 12th of April, 2016, Thane Police intercepted two vehicles. Inside these vehicles, they discovered passengers carrying approximately 2-3 kilograms of Ephedrine (a powdery substance regulated under the Narcotics Act). The drivers, identified as Mayur and Sagar, were arrested. This shipment, estimated to be worth more than 80 lakh rupees, was linked to false IDs from a pharmaceutical company.

10 people were apprehended during the investigation, while seven more, including Kulkarni, are being pursued. The police revealed that Kulkarni participated in a gathering with one of the suspects, Vicky Goswami, and others at a Kenyan hotel back in January 2016. This association was said to have been substantiated by the testimony of another defendant, Jain, who was also present at the meeting.

In this alleged plot, Ephedrine powder was said to have been transported from a Maharashtra-based company to Kenya with the intention of manufacturing Methamphetamine. The defendants, including Vicky Goswami and Dr. Abdulla, were accused of planning to distribute this drug on a global scale. The prosecution argued that they made substantial profits from these drug transactions. Kulkarni admitted to knowing one of the co-defendants in the case, Vicky Goswami.

In a submission made by Advocate Madhav Thorat, Kulkarni argued that the accusations against her are solely dependent on the testimony of fellow defendants, with no additional evidence presented to support them. Her lawyers, Advocates VM Thorat and Madhav Thorat, representing Kulkarni, have requested that the FIR be withdrawn. They base this request on the lack of any substantial proof supporting Kulkarni’s involvement as an accused in the case, and argue that it would be impossible to link her to the actions committed by the co-accused in the crime based solely on the current evidence available.

Career-wise, Mamta Kulkarni has acted alongside many prominent actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Govinda, and others throughout her acting journey. In 2003, she chose to leave acting behind and became a yogini instead. Now, it’s said that she lives in Kenya, distanced from the world of entertainment.

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2024-08-08 10:52