A day after actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan moved the Kerala High Court against the Customs Department over the seizure of his Land Rover Defender, officials on Saturday located another luxury vehicle suspected to have been brought into the State without paying duties.
The vehicle, a Nissan Patrol, was found at the residence of one of Dulquer’s friends in Kochi. Customs officials are currently inspecting the car, which they claim was imported from abroad and initially registered in the name of the Indian Army. Records indicate the SUV was later registered in Karnataka and eventually came into Dulquer’s possession, with documents showing he purchased it from a Himachal native.
The development comes amid Operation Numkhor, the department’s ongoing probe into the smuggling of expensive second-hand vehicles through the Indo-Bhutan border. Customs officials have expressed suspicion over two Land Rover vehicles and two Nissan Patrol vehicles linked to the actor. One of the Land Rovers was seized earlier this week.
On Friday, Dulquer filed a petition in the Kerala High Court challenging the seizure, arguing that the Defender in question was a collector’s item and that the action was taken without sufficient inquiry. He sought the release of the vehicle into his custody, assuring it would be produced before authorities when required.
On the work front, Dulquer has two Telugu films—DQ 41, directed by debutant Ravi Nelakuditie, and Pavan Sadineni’s Aakasamlo Oka Tara lined up. He also has Selvamani Selvaraj’s Tamil period drama Kaantha, and the Malayalam film I’m Game with RDX director Nahas Hidhayath as part of his upcoming slate.
