Thane drugs haul case: Relief for Mamta Kulkarni as witness wants to withdraw statements

Key witness in Thane drugs haul case wants to retract his statements, says he never met Mamta Kulkarni.

'NEVER MET MAMTA KULKARNI'

In a major setback to the Thane Police, key witness in the case, Jay Mukhi, whose statement was recorded under CrPC 164, has filed an application to retract his earlier statement. "My statement u/s 164 of the Cr.P.C was given by me under coercion and pressure from the Thane Crime Branch officers. The content of the said statement is not voluntary; the statement is untrue and incorrect. That further I have never met Mamta Kulkarni. I am therefore placing this retraction on record of the case", reads the application of Jay Mukhi.

On the basis of Jay Mukhi's statement, yesteryear actress Mamta Kulkarni was made an accused in this case and his statement was one of the clinching evidences against Mamta. With Jay retracting his statement, it will now be very difficult for Thane Police to prove Mamta's role in the Thane drugs haul case.

'CRIME BRANCH OFFICERS THREATENED ME'

In an application filed before the Thane Court, Jay Mukhi has alleged that, "Three officers from Thane Crime Branch threatened me that my sister and brother-in-law would be arrested if I didn't do as they say. They forced me to give statement as per their wish in front of the Vashi Magistrate u/s 164 of the Cr.P.C. They used to keep my father Mulji Rajshi Mukhi (aged 80 years) and mother Nirmala Mulji Mukhi (aged 76 years) till 1.30 a.m. to 2 a.m. in their office to put pressure on me and because of this pressure I gave statement u/s 164 of the Cr.P.C in front of the Vashi Magistrate, contents of which were not true."

COPS BLAME JAY MUKHI

Police alleges that Jay Mukhi is one of the main people accused in the Thane drugs haul case who, along with Kishore Rathod and Manoj Jain, had gone to Kenya for the drug meeting. This retraction of statement may be a big relief for Bombshell Mamta Kulkarni.