ED Raids Premises of Actors Dulquer, Prithviraj

Led by the Kochi Zonal Office, the raids targeted the residences and business establishments of actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amith Chakalackal, as well as several vehicle owners. Automobile workshops in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore were also searched.

The ED said its operation uncovered a syndicate allegedly involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury cars, including Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, and Maserati models, smuggled into India via the Indo-Bhutan-Nepal routes. Preliminary investigations suggest that the network, allegedly aided from Coimbatore, used forged documents claiming affiliation with the Indian Army, the US Embassy, and the Ministry of External Affairs, along with fake RTO registrations in states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. These vehicles were reportedly sold to wealthy individuals, including film stars, at undervalued prices.

On Tuesday, the Kerala High Court directed actor Dulquer Salmaan to approach the adjudicating authority under the Customs Act to seek the release of his SUV.

The actor’s Land Rover Defender was seized from his Kochi residence as part of Operation Namkhor, a crackdown targeting celebrities allegedly purchasing high-end used SUVs from Bhutan using forged documents. Following the seizure, Dulquer approached the High Court, terming the action arbitrary and based on suspicion alone.

He contended that he had been using the 2004-model vehicle for five years without any legal issues and that all payments had been made through legitimate bank transactions.