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Former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni, who starred in several Hindi films, including Karan Arjun in the 1990s, has returned to India after 25 years. Upon her arrival in Mumbai, she shared a video on Instagram, expressing her happiness over returning home. Ms Kulkarni left the country in 2000.
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A post shared by Mamta Kulkarni ???? (@mamtakulkarniofficial____)
But her return also comes with reminders of a turbulent chapter in her life. The actress was embroiled in a high-profile drug case that rocked Bollywood and law enforcement circles alike. This case, worth Rs 2,000 crore, first came to light in 2016, when the Thane police initiated an investigation into a major drug trafficking operation.
The Rs 2,000-crore drug case
The case revolved around Avon Lifesciences Ltd, a pharmaceutical company based in Solapur, Maharashtra, which the police alleged was being used to siphon ephedrine, a controlled substance. The ephedrine was supposedly destined for Kenya, where it would be processed into methamphetamine for the US market.
Ms Kulkarni was named as an accused alongside her partner, Vicky Goswami, an alleged drug lord, in the case. The police claimed that Ms Kulkarni was present at a meeting held at the Bliss Hotel in Kenya on January 8, 2016, where details of the drug operation were allegedly discussed.
While Ms Kulkarni was accused of being part of the scheme and even potentially being appointed as a director of Avon Lifesciences, the evidence provided by the Thane police was shaky at best. The charges primarily relied on a statement made by co-accused Jay Mukhi, who later retracted his testimony, claiming it was given under duress.
The case took a significant turn when the Bombay High Court intervened. In a recent judgment, the court quashed the FIR against Ms Kulkarni, citing insufficient evidence. The bench, led by Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande, acknowledged that apart from the allegations in the FIR, there was no substantial proof against the actress. Ms Kulkarni, who argued that she was being used as a scapegoat, was granted relief, allowing her to move forward without the stigma of the case hanging over her.
Over the years, despite the charges, Ms Kulkarni has always denied any wrongdoing. While the scandal impacted her public image and effectively ended her Bollywood career, the recent court ruling has cleared her name.