Actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan is set to receive a formal summons from Customs after two luxury vehicles were seized from his residence during a state-wide crackdown on smuggled cars. Officials confirmed that two additional vehicles linked to the Lucky Baskhar actor are also under scrutiny.
The seizures were part of Operation Numkhor, a major investigation into a racket that allegedly moved discarded Bhutanese army vehicles into India, re-registered them with forged documents, and sold them to buyers through intermediaries. The term Numkhor is derived from the Bhutanese word for ‘vehicle’.
Customs officers recovered a Land Rover Defender and a Toyota Land Cruiser from Dulquer’s Elamkulam property. One of the vehicles, a Land Cruiser registered in Thrissur, is reportedly not in his name, and enquiries are ongoing to trace its ownership. Notices will require the actor to present registration papers and other documents relating to the seized cars, as well as two more that investigators believe he has acquired through the same network.
Over the course of a single day on Tuesday, raids were carried out at 35 locations across Kerala, including the homes of actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Amith Chakkalackal. While eight cars were confiscated from Amith’s residence, no vehicles were found at Prithviraj’s Thevara flat. In total, 36 luxury cars were impounded.
Officials allege that the smuggling ring, centred in Coimbatore, dismantled vehicles in Bhutan, transported them across the border in parts, and reassembled them in India. Some were fraudulently registered in Himachal Pradesh before making their way to Kerala. Investigators also uncovered falsified documents bearing the seals of the Indian Army and diplomatic missions, raising suspicions of wider financial and security implications.
During a press briefing in Kochi on Tuesday, Customs Commissioner Dr T Tiju’s explanation of Operation Numkhor was abruptly cut short after he received a phone call. The conference was ended midway, fuelling speculation. It later emerged that senior authorities had intervened and instructed officers not to disclose further details, reportedly after concerns that inaccurate or sensitive information was being shared with the media.
Customs has indicated that the case goes beyond tax evasion, warning of possible links to black money transactions, gold and narcotics smuggling, and even potential security risks. Dr Tiju said the matter has been escalated to central agencies for deeper investigation.
Import of second-hand cars into India is prohibited, and officials have clarified that the vehicles cannot be legalised by paying fines. Dulquer, along with other owners, will be asked to appear in person for questioning and to provide supporting documents. Customs has warned that failure to comply could result in stricter legal measures, including possible arrests.
The development comes at a time when Dulquer is riding high on the blockbuster success of the Kalyani Priyadarshan-starrer Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, now the highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time, produced under his Wayfarer Films banner. He also made a fleeting cameo in the fantasy epic, playing Charlie/Odiyan in the first instalment of a planned five-part franchise rooted in Kerala’s folklore and mythology. The actor is currently filming his next Malayalam film I’m Game, directed by Nahas Hidhayath of RDX fame.