A special court declared former Bollywood actoress Mamta Kulkarni and her boyfriend Vicky Goswami, as a proclaimed offenders in a multi-million ephedrine haul case and directed attachment of their properties. Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances court judge HM Patwardhan said, “It is pronounced and declared that accused Vicky Goswami and Mamta Kulkarni are proclaimed offenders. The immovable properties belonging to the accused be attached.”
The case came to light after Thane police raided Avon Lifesciences in Solapur, last year and seized around 18.5 ton of ephedrine worth £200 million. Police said the ephedrine was being diverted from Avon Lifesciences to a Kenya-based drug cartel headed by Goswami, where it was used to make party-drug Methamphetamine. Over a dozen people have been arrested in the case. Following the court order, special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray said, “Now, the law-enforcing agencies have to act and the police have to file the compliance report within 30 days about the execution of the order. It also gives power to police to attach the properties of the accused. The order also empowers police to issue a warrant against the accused on the last known address of the accused.”
The sale of ephedrine is banned in India. It is popularly used overseas to treat asthma and bronchitis, and its abuse is known to cause euphoria, hypertension, and nausea. It is popularly used to produce methamphetamine. Police said Goswami, son of a retired police officer from Gujarat, began as a bootlegger in the 1980s in Gujarat, and later began smuggling mandrax. In the last two decades, he has reportedly expanded his network to Dubai and Africa. His spouse Kulkarni, was a hit Bollywood actress in the 90s and has starred in films like 'Karan Arjun' and 'Baazi'.
