Overview
- At a public event in Gorakhpur, a viral video captured Mamta Kulkarni saying Dawood Ibrahim is "not some terrorist" and asserting he never carried out bomb blasts in India.
- The clip spread widely on social media, drawing sharp criticism and prompting demands for clarity on her comments.
- In a subsequent Instagram statement, Kulkarni denied any connection to Dawood and said her remarks were misreported.
- She later indicated she was referring to former associate Vicky Goswami rather than Dawood, while maintaining she has never met Dawood.
- Context cited in coverage notes Thane police named her in a 2015 ephedrine case linked to a Rs 2,000 crore network before the Bombay High Court cleared her in 2024, and she now serves as a Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhara.