Another blow for Dulquer Salmaan: Lucky Baskhar Nissan Patrol seized by Customs  

KOCHI: In a significant move under 'Operation Numkhor'—a targeted crackdown on vehicles smuggled into India via Bhutan—the Customs Department has seized a Nissan Patrol SUV owned by Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan. The luxury vehicle, which reportedly featured in the actor’s film Lucky Baskhar, was confiscated from 'Signature Cars,' a premium pre-owned car showroom in Kalamassery, Kochi.

Investigation agencies suspect the vehicle was illegally routed into India through the porous Nepal-Bhutan border to evade import regulations. A comprehensive probe into the vehicle's documentation and transit history is currently underway. The seizure is part of a wider statewide dragnet that has seen seven luxury vehicles intercepted over the past few days.

This marks the second time the high-profile actor has come under the Customs scanner. Earlier, authorities had seized a Land Rover Defender belonging to Dulquer under similar suspicions. While that vehicle was subsequently released following a High Court intervention, strict conditions apply. The actor secured interim custody of the Defender by executing a bond and furnishing a 20% bank guarantee, though he remains barred from driving it on public roads until the legal proceedings conclude.

During the previous court hearing, the Customs Department maintained that the Defender's seizure was executed based on credible intelligence pointing to an illicit Bhutanese origin. However, the High Court cautioned the agency against levelling unsubstantiated allegations. In his defence, Dulquer’s legal counsel had expressed readiness to deposit a bank guarantee equivalent to the vehicle's full market value to demonstrate compliance, countering the department's allegations of outright duty evasion.