Actor Mamta Kulkarni's role in hubby's drug ring under scanner

April 28, 2016

Mumbai, Apr 28: The Thane police, which seized 20 tonnes of ephedrine in a record haul this month, is investigating reports that actor Mamta Kulkarni is a central figure in the international drug ring that tried to smuggle in the contraband.

MamtaThe development came as investigators revealed on Wednesday that Mamta's Kenya-based husband, Vicky Goswami, was the kingpin of the drug operation.

Vicky has a well-known history of serious drug offences. In 1997, he was arrested for drug trafficking in Dubai and served 15 years in a prison there. He later moved with Mamta to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, where he is currently facing fresh charges. He is wanted by the US and the Thane police for drug offences. "This is an international racket and Vicky Goswami is the main link to it. As for Mamta Kulkarni, we are probing her role," Thane police commissioner Parambir Singh said, referring to the ephedrine haul.

Vicky was named as the prime suspect after the police received information about his operations from the United States' Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) on Tuesday.

Mamta, who is believed to be in Kenya currently, featured in several Bollywood movies in the 1990s, including the Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Karan Arjun. While senior Thane officers did not divulge details about her role in her husband's drug syndicate, sources in the police said she was the face of the ring.

As Vicky cannot leave Kenya because of an Interpol notice against him, he asked Mamta to meet clients in Dubai, Singapore, South Africa and the US, said a Thane police officer, who didn't want to be named.

Mamta allegedly also struck business deals with drug networks in Maharashtra, and Vicky used her name to carry out bank transactions. The couple allegedly also routed huge sums from drug deals through the hawala channel.

Mamta apparently never came under the authorities' scanner until now. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested one Punit Shringi, who was allegedly the main link between Vicky and drug cartels in Mumbai and Thane.Shringi has reportedly revealed that Manoj Jain, a director of a firm called, was also involved and had met Vicky several times in Kenya.

The 20 tonnes of ephedrine was seized from a Solapur factory earlier this month. According to the Thane police, gangs in India, Poland and some other European countries had planned to send the consignment to Eastern Europe from Mumbai via Gujarat.

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News Network
March 10,2020

Washington, Mar 10: British adventurer Bear Grylls on Monday shared the power-packed trailer of `Into The Wild` episode featuring South Indian superstar Rajinikanth.

The video captures Rajinikanth driving through the forests of Bandipur in Karnataka, where the episode has been filmed. The 45-year-old adventurer shared the daredevil video on Twitter featuring Rajinikanth amid the woods and in the background, Grylls is heard saying "He`s faced a lot of fears, but he never gives up. He`s relentlessly positive."

He captioned the post on Twitter and wrote: "Superstar @Rajinikanth`s relentless positivity and never giving up spirit was so visible in the wild as he embraced every challenge thrown at him. Respect! Watch Into The Wild with @BearGryllson March 23 at 8:00 pm. @DiscoveryIN#ThalaivaOnDiscovery."

The video shows the Padma Bhushan actor and Grylls climbing hills and wading through gorges and ravine. The duo is seen driving through the Deccan forest. Amid the video, Grylls is seen addressing Rajinikanth as a "superhero." The actor is seen pulling off his signature `sunglass` move.

Earlier in February, the adventure show host shared an intriguing motion poster marking superstar Rajinikanth`s blockbuster TV debut in Discovery`s `Into the Wild`. Grylls also shared that it was a special experience for him to work with the Rajinikanth.

In January, Rajinikanth suffered minor injuries while shooting for the special episode of `Man vs Wild` Bandipur forest in Karnataka.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajinikanth becomes the second Indian personality to be featured on Grylls` survival show.

The episode with Prime Minister Modi was aired last year in August and became quite an attraction among viewers.

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Agencies
February 5,2020

Chennai, Feb 5: Income Tax sleuths on Wednesday raided top Tamil film actor Vijay's residence here besides conducting simultaneous searches at several premises linked to a film production house, movie financier and distributors in connection with suspected tax evasion.

The searches, which began in as many as 38 locations in Tamil Nadu, were still on and unaccounted cash of about Rs 25 crore was seized from the premises of a Tamil film financier who had faced allegations of intimidation and arm-twisting to recover money, official sources told PTI.

Also, several documents indicating substantial tax evasion has been seized, sources added.

Vijay, who was away in Cuddalore district for a film shoot, was apprised by authorities about the searches and he was en route to his residence here, they said.

So far nothing has been recovered from the actor's house and the inmates were cooperating with authorities in conducting the searches, sources said.

Raids were also on in the premises of the production house that had made Vijay's hugely successful recent Tamil movie 'Bigil.'

Further details are expected after completion of searches which is likely to continue tomorrow.

The State police has been providing security for carrying out the searches.

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News Netowrk
July 10,2020

New Delhi, Jul 10: Actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is staying indoors like many other Bollywood celebrities, on Friday said that she has learned to prioritise what is important to her amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

"One thing that I have learnt about myself is that I love isolation. I love being by myself. I saw a lot of people complaining that they are bored at home or that they cannot go out. I am an extrovert, I am a very social person but this quarantine has led me to realise that I do prefer my isolation over meeting people because I haven't really been in touch with people," she said.

"I have kind of been catching over my reading, not seen much television but started watching shows. I have spent a lot of time with my mom and honesty there were days when I did nothing," she added.

The 'Pati Patni Aur Woh' actor further said that it was important loving oneself and enjoying one's own company.

"I have kind of prioritised what I feel is important in life. I have re-educated myself. But the biggest learning has been that I love being alone. And maybe I have kind of enjoyed this state because as actors you are constantly surrounded by people whether you are promoting or shooting a film," she said.

"Your immediate entourage is also like a team of quite a few people. You are constantly over the phone, you are constantly over social media," she added.

Pednekar was last seen in Karan Johar's horror film 'Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship,'.

She will next be seen in another horror thriller, 'Durgavati.'

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