Ephedrine drug bust case: Court to pass order on police plea today

Special public prosecutor Shishir Hirey said, “Today, I argued before the sessions judge that the Non Bailable Warrant (NBW) issued by the court was served at the last known addresses of Goswami and Kulkarni. Neighbours at Goswami’s last known address in Gujarat and Kulkarni’s address in Versova, while confirming that the flats belonged to them, told the police team that they no longer resided there. We told the court that the accused were evading arrests and it was a fit case where they should issue a proclamation for them to present themselves before the court. The judge has reserved the order for Wednesday.”

An officer linked to the case explained if a “wanted accused” does not present himself before the court within a month of the proclamation, he becomes an absconding accused. After they are declared absconding accused, we can then attach their property. We can then file a chargesheet against them and then send the details to the Interpol wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) through which an RCN can be issued. An RCN is an international arrest warrant, which will make it difficult for the former starlet to leave Kenya where she is currently suspected to be staying.

The Thane police do not have much hope of getting Goswami back to India but they have asked for permission to allow a team of officers to interrogate Goswami in the US.

In April last year, the Thane police had busted a racket in which they claimed that Ephedrine was being diverted illegally from a Solapur-based pharmaceutical company to manufacture narcotics. The police have so far arrested 14 persons and named five persons as wanted accused, including Kulkarni and Goswami. As per police, Goswami was the mastermind of the racket and Kulkarni was assisting him.