Customs officials have seized another luxury vehicle linked to actor Dulquer Salmaan as part of an investigation codenamed “Operation Namkhor.” The vehicle, a Nissan Patrol kept at Signature Cars in Kalamassery and reportedly used during the filming of his project Lucky Baskhar, is the fourth car connected to the actor to be taken into custody in the case.
The investigation
The probe targets an alleged luxury-car smuggling operation said to bring high-end vehicles into India from Bhutan using falsified documents, with investigators believing the names of foreign embassies were misused to avoid heavy import taxes. The Nissan Patrol was recovered from the Kalamassery facility, following three earlier seizures of cars owned by the actor. Authorities have arrested Sain Marvey, a partner at MS Road Way Cars in Kozhikode, in connection with the ring, and the Enforcement Directorate has widened the inquiry, recently searching 17 locations, including the residences of Prithviraj Sukumaran and Dulquer Salmaan.
Dulquer’s position
Dulquer has maintained that he bought every vehicle legally. Through legal channels, he has said the cars were purchased from previous owners within India via bank transfers, that he holds all the necessary paperwork, and that the vehicles were already registered in India before he acquired them. On a previously seized Land Rover Defender, he told the court the vehicle had originally been brought to Delhi by the International Red Cross.
The seizure of the Nissan Patrol — a car fans may recognise from Lucky Baskhar promotional stills — adds a real-world dimension to the film’s production. As the investigation continues, his legal team has said it is confident the documentation will establish him as a bona fide purchaser.
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