Overview
- On October 8, the Enforcement Directorate carried out FEMA searches at 17 locations across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including premises linked to Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
- The ED’s statement points to a Coimbatore-based syndicate allegedly using forged papers attributed to the Army, the US Embassy and the MEA to obtain fraudulent RTO registrations in states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
- Officials said prima facie violations of FEMA Sections 3, 4 and 8 were detected involving unauthorised foreign-exchange dealings and hawala payments, with investigators now tracing money flows and beneficiaries.
- The latest action follows Customs’ September 23 Operation Numkhor, which seized about 36–37 luxury cars, as the Kerala High Court permitted Dulquer to apply for provisional release of a seized vehicle.
- Dulquer declined to answer reporters’ questions in Kochi, and media reports say the ED could register a PMLA case as the financial probe broadens.