The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered the Customs Preventive Department to consider and pass orders within one week on an application by Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan seeking interim custody of a vehicle seized in a wider enforcement drive, while making clear any order passed by Customs would remain open to challenge before the court.
Dulquer’s challenged the seizure of a 2004 Land Rover Defender that was taken into custody during “Operation Numkhor”, a large-scale Customs crackdown on alleged luxury-car smuggling into India. The bench also directed the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to file a formal response and asked the department’s counsel to produce relevant instructions that had been relied upon in the investigation.
Dulquer’s petition says the Defender was originally imported into India by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its Regional Delegation in New Delhi and was cleared by Customs through a bill of entry filed by the ICRC. According to the petition, the vehicle was subsequently sold through lawful channels and ultimately acquired by the actor from Aarpee Promotors Pvt Ltd. The seller had purchased the car from one Habeeb Mohammed, in whose name it was registered at the time of sale.
The actor has maintained that he had “every reason to believe the ownership and registration were valid” and that there were no indications of irregularity when he bought the SUV. Dulquer has alleged that Customs officials refused to properly examine the documents he produced and that the vehicle was seized in a “hasty and arbitrary manner.” He has asked the court to quash the seizure memo and sought interim custody, arguing that returning the vehicle to him would ensure it is “maintained in good motorable condition” and not allowed to deteriorate while proceedings remain pending.
The seizure of Dulquer’s vehicle forms part of a coordinated enforcement operation conducted by Customs earlier this week. Officials carried out searches at nearly 30 locations across Kerala, including the residences of several prominent film personalities — among them actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan and Amit Chakkalackal — and seized a total of 36 luxury vehicles, Customs said.
According to the department’s allegations, the vehicles were imported into India from Bhutan using forged papers and were being used as part of a broader smuggling network. Investigators say their probe uncovered evidence suggesting that some of the cars were being misused to facilitate gold and narcotics smuggling. Customs Commissioner Tiju described the operation as one with “serious implications for national and economic security,” warning that such networks could be exploited for money-laundering, tax evasion and even terrorist financing.
The Kerala High Court directed the Customs Department to consider and pass orders on his application within a week. Any orders can be subject to challenge before HC.
Case Details
Case Title: Dulquer Salman Versus Commissioner Of Customs
Case No.: WP(C) NO. 35869 OF 2025
Date: 26/09/2025
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