ED Raids on Kerala Actors in Luxury Car Smuggling Case

Kochi, Oct 8 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Wednesday at premises associated with actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amit Chakkalackal, as well as other entities across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in connection with a Customs case involving alleged luxury vehicle smuggling from Bhutan to India, according to official sources.

The ED searches extended to vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders located in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).

A total of 17 locations were targeted in this operation, the sources indicated.

The enforcement action falls under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and relates to a recent case revealed by the Customs Preventive department, which revolves around alleged luxury vehicle smuggling and unauthorized foreign exchange transactions.

According to sources, the raids were prompted by intelligence regarding a syndicate involved in the illicit import and registration of high-end cars like Land Cruiser, Defender, and Maserati via the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal routes.

Preliminary findings suggest the presence of a Coimbatore-based network that allegedly used forged documents—purportedly from the Indian Army, US Embassy, and MEA—and fake RTO registrations in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and several other states.

These vehicles were subsequently sold to high-net-worth individuals, including film celebrities, at undervalued prices, authorities claimed.

The ED suspects "prima facie" violations of Sections 3, 4, and 8 of FEMA, involving unauthorized foreign exchange transactions and cross-border payments through hawala channels.

In a related development, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday permitted Dulquer Salmaan to seek provisional release of his vehicle, which was seized by the Customs Preventive Department, directing the agency to consider such a request within one week if filed.

Dulquer Salmaan asserted that the vehicle was shipped by the International Committee of the Red Cross to its Regional Delegation in New Delhi.

In his petition, the actor stated he believed in good faith that the vehicle had valid ownership and registration with the Motor Vehicle Authority and saw no reason to doubt its legitimacy.

The actor claimed Customs officials neglected to inspect the documents provided and executed the vehicle seizure in an arbitrary and hurried manner.

The Customs officials had conducted raids on approximately 30 locations throughout Kerala on September 23, including the homes of the three actors, resulting in the seizure of 36 luxury cars.

The raids, part of 'Operation Numkhor,' also uncovered that some vehicles were used for smuggling gold and drugs.

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