ED summons Dulquer Salmaan in luxury car smuggling case
What's the story
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan in connection with the recent seizure of three high-end pre-owned SUVs by Customs. The summons comes as part of Operation Numkhor, which targets high-value vehicles suspected of being smuggled from Bhutan. According to The Hindu, two Land Rover Defenders and a Nissan Patrol belonging to the actor have been seized, and he'll be questioned about transactions related to these vehicles.
Legal proceedings
Salmaan approached Kerala High Court seeking release of vehicles
Salmaan had earlier approached the Kerala High Court seeking the release of his vehicles. On Tuesday, the court directed him to approach the adjudicating authority under the Customs Act for one of his high-end SUVs. This legal development comes amid ongoing investigations into alleged smuggling and unauthorized foreign exchange transactions linked to high-value pre-owned luxury vehicles.
Raids conducted
ED raids at premises of Prithviraj, Dulquer, Amit Chakkalakkal
The ED has been conducting raids under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at 17 locations across Kerala and Tamil Nadu since Wednesday morning. These raids are part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged smuggling of high-end pre-owned luxury vehicles and related unauthorized foreign exchange transactions. The operation covered 17 premises, including residences and establishments linked to film stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, Salmaan, Salmaan's father Mammootty, and Amit Chakkalakkal.
Investigation
Raids followed earlier customs operation on September 23
These raids follow simultaneous statewide operations conducted by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi, at over 30 locations on September 23. During those raids, 37 high-value second-hand cars suspected of having been smuggled from Bhutan in recent years were seized. Three more vehicles were confiscated in the days that followed. The Customs operation was based on a list of 150-200 vehicles flagged for irregularities in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways database.
Syndicate exposed
Preliminary findings suggest Coimbatore-based network involved in illegal activities
Preliminary findings suggest a Coimbatore-based network was involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury cars such as Land Cruiser, Defender, and Maserati through Indo-Bhutan/Nepal routes. The vehicles were allegedly sold to high-net-worth individuals, including film personalities, at undervalued prices. The ED's action was initiated after prima facie violations of Sections 3, 4, and 8 of FEMA were detected involving unauthorized foreign exchange transactions and cross-border payments through hawala channels.