Dulquer Salmaan moves HC over luxury car seized by customs
What's the story
Actor Dulquer Salmaan has approached the Kerala High Court, challenging the Customs Department's decision to seize one of his high-end cars on allegations of tax evasion. The vehicle in question, a Land Rover, was confiscated from his residence in Kochi as part of a crackdown on celebrities who allegedly bought expensive used cars from Bhutan using forged documents.
Legal action
Salmaan's vehicle was bought from Indian Red Cross
Salmaan argued in his plea that the vehicle was bought from the Indian Red Cross. He added that he'd already produced all necessary records to prove his ownership, so there was no justification behind the detention. The Customs Preventive wing had carried out statewide raids on Tuesday at the residences of high-net-worth individuals in Kerala, including actors Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran. This operation, named Numkhor (meaning 'vehicle' in Bhutanese), aimed to target alleged illegal imports of premium vehicles from Bhutan.
Operation details
38 'high-value 2nd-hand cars' seized so far
The Customs Department has so far seized 38 "high-value second-hand cars" suspected to have been smuggled in from Bhutan over the past few years. The Motor Vehicles Department, Anti-Terrorist Squad, and Kerala Police had also lent their support to this operation. Indian law prohibits the import of second-hand vehicles unless they fall under the Transfer of Residence (TR) provision.
Legal provision
What is Transfer of Residence (TR) provision?
The TR provision allows the import and registration of vehicles that have been used for three years or more, upon payment of a 160% duty. This legal framework is designed to regulate the import of second-hand vehicles and prevent tax evasion through illegal imports. The outcome of Salmaan's plea remains to be seen as the Kerala High Court continues to hear his case.