Kerala HC Asks Customs to Respond to Dulquer Salmaan’s Vehicle Release Plea
Kerala HC Seeks Customs’ Stand on Dulquer Salmaan’s Vehicle Seizure
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has called upon the Customs Preventive Department to respond to Dulquer Salmaan’s request for the return of his vehicle, which was confiscated during efforts to identify and seize luxury cars smuggled into India from Bhutan.
Justice Ziyad Rahman A A has issued a notice to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, instructing their counsel to provide updates by September 30, the next hearing date.
Mentioning in his plea, Dulquer asserts that his vehicle—a 2004 Land Rover Defender—was shipped by the International Committee of the Red Cross to their Regional Delegation in New Delhi. He has stated that the vehicle was cleared through a bill of entry filed by the ICRC.
The actor insists he believed the vehicle was properly owned and registered with the Motor Vehicle Authority, and that he had no reason to doubt its validity.
The petition reveals that the vehicle was purchased from Aarpee Promotors Pvt Ltd, which had previously acquired it from Habeeb Mohammed, the registered owner.
Dulquer also mentioned that customs officials had declined to examine the vehicle’s documents and carried out the seizure hastily and without due process.
He expressed concerns that continued proceedings could render the vehicle useless due to exposure to the elements if it remains unmoved for an extended period.
“If handed over to me, I will ensure the vehicle is maintained in good working condition,” he maintained, asking for the seizure order to be quashed and the vehicle returned to him.
Customs officials conducted raids at around 30 locations in Kerala, including the residences of several actors, with Dulquer Salmaan’s being one of them. A total of 36 high-end luxury cars were seized, which were allegedly brought into the country illegally from Bhutan using forged documents.
The operation, termed ‘Operation Numkhor’, uncovered that some vehicles were possibly used in the smuggling of gold and drugs. Preliminary investigations also indicated connections to tax evasion and money laundering, raising alarms about potential ties to terrorist financing.
Customs Commissioner Tiju has voiced that the situation presents a severe threat to the nation’s security, noting that such smuggling networks could easily facilitate the illegal transport of various contrabands.
What do you think about this case? Do you believe Dulquer Salmaan will recover his vehicle soon?
