Mamta Kulkarni returns Mumbai after 25 Yrs, clears name in Thane drug case

Mumbai, Dec 9: Mamta Kulkarni, the beloved Bollywood actress of the 90s, has made a heartfelt return to Mumbai after a 25 years marking a significant chapter in her life. The actress, known for her roles in hits like Karan Arjun, shared an emotional video on Instagram, expressing her overwhelming feelings upon coming back to India.

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"Hey guys, this is Mamta Kulkarni. I just returned to Mumbai after 25 years," she said, her voice filled with nostalgia. "I left India in 2000, and now, in 2024, I'm back. I’m overwhelmed and emotional. I don’t know how to express it. Before the flight landed, I was gazing out at my country, and after all these years, I had tears in my eyes. Stepping out of the airport, I was completely overwhelmed," she continued.

Kulkarni’s return comes after the Bombay High Court quashed the criminal proceedings against her related to a ₹2,000 crore drug haul case, which had plagued her for years. 

The case began in 2016, following a large-scale drug bust by the Thane police, where ephedrine worth ₹80 lakh was seized. Investigations revealed the substance was linked to a factory in Solapur, Maharashtra, owned by Avon Life Sciences, a company allegedly run by her husband, Vicky Goswami.

The police had initially named Kulkarni as a key figure in the drug trafficking network, accusing her of complicity due to her role as a director at the company and her substantial shareholding. 

They claimed she had attended meetings in Tanzania and Dubai related to the drug trade. However, in a significant ruling earlier this year, the Bombay High Court struck down the case against her, citing the absence of any solid evidence to support the charges.

The quashing of the case brought a major relief to Kulkarni, who had been facing the possibility of extradition from Kenya, where she had been living with her husband. 

The actress had denied any involvement in the alleged drug operations and fought to clear her name. Her emotional return to India marks the end of a long legal battle and a turbulent chapter in her life.