Mamta Kulkarni Returns to India: A Look at the ₹2,000-Crore Drug Controversy

Mamta Kulkarni returns to India after 25 years, cleared of ₹2,000-crore drug case allegations

Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni has returned to India after 25 years. Known for her roles in 1990s hits like Karan Arjun, Kulkarni shared a video on Instagram expressing her happiness about being back in Mumbai. However, her return brings back memories of a high-profile ₹2,000-crore drug case that linked her to an international trafficking network.

The case, which surfaced in 2016, involved Avon Lifesciences Ltd, a pharmaceutical company in Solapur, Maharashtra. Authorities alleged that the company was used to divert ephedrine, a controlled substance, to Kenya. There, it was reportedly processed into methamphetamine for the U.S. market.

Kulkarni was accused of being part of this operation alongside her partner, Vicky Goswami, an alleged drug kingpin. Police claimed she attended a meeting at the Bliss Hotel in Kenya in January 2016, where details of the drug trade were discussed. Kulkarni was also alleged to be a potential director of Avon Lifesciences.

The accusations were based primarily on a statement by Jay Mukhi, a co-accused, who later retracted his statement, claiming it was made under pressure. Despite the serious allegations, concrete evidence against Kulkarni was lacking.

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In a major development, the Bombay High Court recently quashed the FIR against Kulkarni, citing insufficient proof. A bench led by Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande concluded that beyond the FIR’s allegations, there was no substantial evidence implicating her. The court’s decision allowed Kulkarni to move forward without the stigma of the drug case.

Kulkarni has consistently denied any involvement in the drug trade, claiming she was unfairly targeted. While the scandal ended her Bollywood career and tarnished her public image, the court ruling has now cleared her name.

Her return to India marks a new chapter, free from the shadow of one of Bollywood’s most sensational controversies.

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