Overview
- Customs officials recorded actor Dulquer Salmaan’s statement in Ernakulam as part of the Operation Numkhor probe, with the interview taking place on Wednesday, July 1.
- Investigators previously seized multiple high-end vehicles tied to the case and a court later ordered provisional release of two cars to Dulquer after he furnished bank guarantees and agreed to strict production and movement conditions.
- Dulquer has told investigators that he bought the vehicles legally from previous owners in India and said he had no knowledge that they might have been smuggled from Bhutan.
- Customs have asked Dulquer for additional documents and are preparing to summon him again after reviewing earlier statements that included an extended round of questioning.
- Operation Numkhor has produced five arrests so far and targets an alleged cross-border network that used forged paperwork to reintroduce decommissioned vehicles from Bhutan without customs clearance, raising concerns about missing registrations, fitness certificates, insurance and possible GST manipulation.