Dulquer Salmaan Grilled for 7 Hours in Bhutan Luxury Vehicle Smuggling Investigation

Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan has been questioned by the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan into India under Operation Numkhor . The actor appeared before Customs officials in Kochi on Tuesday, where his statement was recorded during a preliminary inquiry into the high profile case.

According to Customs sources, officials questioned Salmaan for nearly seven hours , from around 11 am to 6 pm, focusing on four luxury SUVs seized during searches conducted in September 2025. Investigators sought details regarding the ownership history of the vehicles, the sellers, payment trails, purchase transactions and supporting documents. Salmaan has been directed to submit all relevant records, while Customs is also examining whether he owns any other vehicles linked to the alleged network.

Sources told multiple media outlets that Salmaan maintained he had purchased the vehicles through legal channels and was unaware of any alleged illegal import history. Officials are verifying the complete chain of ownership to determine whether any of the vehicles originated from the suspected Bhutan smuggling network. Customs is expected to summon the actor again after examining the documents and his statement. No charges have been filed against him, and the investigation remains at a preliminary stage.

The wider investigation centres on an alleged racket that smuggled high end vehicles into India through the Bhutan and Nepal routes using forged registration and ownership documents to evade customs duty. Authorities have so far arrested seven persons , including the alleged kingpin, middlemen and a transport official. Investigators allege at least 36 vehicles were illegally facilitated through forged documentation, while more than 50 duty evaded luxury vehicles have been seized in Kerala alone. The probe has also uncovered suspected irregularities in vehicle registrations in Assam, where police earlier identified 464 vehicles registered using forged records, while a Comptroller and Auditor General audit flagged 15,849 vehicles with identical chassis and engine numbers across Assam and other northeastern states, indicating large scale manipulation of registration records.