Mumbai: The sessions court in Thane on Tuesday declared former actor Mamta Kulkarni and her husband, alleged drug trafficker Vicky Goswami, as absconders in a multi-crore drug haul case last year.
The Thane Police Crime Branch had in April 2016 seized over 2,000 kg of ephedrine from multiple locations in Mumbai, Thane and Solapur. The ephedrine, which is a precursor to methamphetamines, was being manufactured in pharma plants and smuggled out of the country, allegedly with Mr. Goswami’s help. Investigations had also indicated Ms. Kulkarni's involvement in the syndicate.
“We had in March obtained non-bailable warrants against Mr. Goswami and Ms. Kulkarni in connection with the case. We subsequently filed a report in court saying that the warrants could not be served due to the absence of the accused, and on Tuesday, the court declared both of them as absconders,” said a senior officer with the Thane Police Crime Branch.
Sources said the court’s decision will lay the ground for the police to try and bring Mr. Goswami and Ms. Kulkarni to India through diplomatic channels. The police will be contacting the authorities in Kenya, where Ms. Kulkarni is believed to be, and the United States, as Mr. Goswami was extradited to the U.S. earlier this year by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the federal anti-drug trafficking agency of the U.S.
“We might issue Letter Rogatory or invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty provisions so that they can be extradited to India,” the officer added.
Abhishek Trimukhe, DCP (Crime Branch), Thane police, told The Hindu , “We are in the process of issuing a red corner notice against Ms. Kulkarni.”
