The residences of Malayalam superstars Prithviraj Sukumaran in Thevara and Dulquer Salmaan in Panampilly Nagar were raided in a luxury vehicle smuggling case.According to News 18, the raids, part of the covertly titled Operation Numkoor, are linked to the suspected illegal import of high-end cars from Bhutan. The vehicles, reportedly ex-Bhutan army assets, were acquired at low auction prices and allegedly resold in India after being registered with fake addresses to dodge hefty import duties.
Celebrities, dealers under lens
According to the reports, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) first flagged these irregular imports, sharing details with Kerala’s Motor Vehicles Department. The ongoing inspection covers nearly 30 locations, including dealerships in Malappuram and Kozhikode, as well as the home of a businessman in Kalamassery. At Prithviraj’s Thiruvananthapuram home, customs officials found no questionable vehicles but continued to examine related documents. Dulquer’s residence in Kochi is also part of the extensive operation.
Both stars cooperate with officials
Both actors are said to be fully cooperating with authorities as the probe widens. Reportedly the focus remains on verifying vehicle ownership trails and cracking down on the network allegedly behind the smuggling ring.
Work front
Meanwhile, on the work front, Dulquer Salmaan is currently basking in the success of his production venture ‘Lokah’ starring ‘Kalyani Priyadarshan in the lead. The movie is directed by Dominic Arun and according to the Sacnilk website, the film has minted Rs 139.05 crores from India in 26 days. Recently the actor opened up on the rumors regarding the movie’s OTT release. Dulquer Tweeted, ” Lokah isn’t coming to OTT anytime soon. Ignore the fake news and stay tuned for official announcements! #Lokah #WhatstheHurry.”On the other hand, Prithviraj Sukumaran’s previous venture was his third directorial outing ‘Empuraan’ which raked in crores at the box office despite mixed reviews from the audiences.