(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is carrying out search operations at 17 locations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu over alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations linked to a high-profile luxury vehicle smuggling racket and unauthorised foreign exchange dealings, officials said.

The ongoing searches, launched by the ED's Kochi Zonal Office, span residences and commercial establishments associated with film personalities, luxury car owners, auto workshops, and dealers across Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore, officials said. Among those under the scanner are prominent actors Prithviraj, Dulquer Salmaan and Amith Chackalakal, whose properties were among the locations searched, they mentioned.

Officials revealed that searches were based on inputs uncovering a syndicate involved in the illegal import and registration of high-end luxury vehicles, including Land Cruisers, Defenders, and Maseratis, through the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal borders.

Preliminary findings point to a Coimbator e-based network allegedly using forged documents claiming to be from the Indian Army, US Embassy, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). These were reportedly used to secure fraudulent vehicle registrations from Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and others.

The luxury vehicles were then sold at significantly undervalued prices to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), including celebrities from the film industry, according to officials.

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Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Kerala High Court directed actor Dulquer Salmaan to submit an application to the adjudicating authority under the Customs Act, 1962, for the provisional release of his Land Rover Defender, which was seized by Customs officials during 'Operation Numkhor'.

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According to Dulquer Salmaan, the Land Rover Defender was originally shipped by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to its Regional Delegation in New Delhi, PTI reported. In his petition, the actor claimed he genuinely believed that the vehicle had proper ownership documents and valid registration with the Motor Vehicle Authority, with no reason to doubt its legitimacy. The plea further explained that Dulquer purchased the vehicle from Aarpee Promotors Pvt Ltd, which had earlier acquired it from Habeeb Mohammed, the registered owner.

The court also asked Customs authorities to make a decision within a week of receiving Dulquer's application. The vehicle was confiscated after a raid at the actor's residence, carried out as part of Operation Numkhor, a crackdown on suspected tax evasion and the illegal import of vehicles from Bhutan using forged registrations.

(With inputs from ANI)

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