Attach three flats owned by Kulkarni, says court

Mumbai: Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) court judge H.M. Patwardhan has ordered the attachment of three plush flats owned by former Bollywood actress Mamta Kulkarni in Mumbai after she failed to appear before the court in connection with a drug case unearthed by the Thane police in 2016, in which she is an accused. The present value of these flats is said to be around Rs 20 crore.  

The prosecution had moved an application before the court when Kulkarni failed to appear before the court on last several hearings, said special public prosecutor Shishir Hirey. Kulkarni was two years ago named as the prime accused in the drug racket linked to drug baron Vicky Goswami, with the police claiming that she was actively involved in criminal activities. The court has declared Kulkarni as absconding as she failed to appear before it in connection with the nearly Rs 2,000 crore drug bust case.

“The application seeking attachment of properties was kept pending and an opportunity was given to both the accused to appear before the court. However, since it was later observed that they were not likely to appear before the court, the judge directed for attachment of Kulkarni’s properties,” said Mr Hirey.

A senior Thane police officer had then said that they would initiate the process for extradition of Kulkarni and Goswami, who were said to be in a relationship and based in Kenya. On June 6 last year, Goswami and Kulkarni were declared as proclaimed absconders by a Thane court and the police had subsequently moved the court to attach the actor’s properties.