Dulquer Salmaan refuses to answer reporters' questions amid ED raids on his and Mammootty's properties

Dulquer Salmaan, Mammootty and Prithviraj Sukumaran's residences were raided by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in connection to the case.

Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan may have received temporary relief in court on Tuesday in the luxury vehicle smuggling case, but on Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided premises linked to him, his father Mammootty, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amit Chakkalackal, and others in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Dulquer was spotted in Kochi after he was summoned by the ED, but refused to speak to the press.

Dulquer Salmaan was spotted for the first time since the ED raid in Kochi.

Dulquer Salmaan refuses to speak to press amid ED raids

On Wednesday afternoon, Dulquer was spotted arriving in Kochi amid the ED raid. Dressed in a blue shirt and jeans, the actor wore a hat and sunglasses as he walked through the airport with his security. In videos shot by paparazzi and fans that are circulating online, numerous reporters can be seen asking him questions about the raid. The actor refused to answer the questions and simply walked by, got into his car and left. The Hindu reported that Dulquer has been summoned by the ED in the case, but further details are awaited.

The ED raids explained

On 23 September, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate raided over 30 locations in Kochi and seized luxury vehicles in connection with a smuggling case as part of Operation Numkhor. According to PTI, on Tuesday, the Kerala High Court allowed Dulquer to file an application for the release of his vehicle, which had been seized by Customs. The actor claimed that Customs officials refused to examine the vehicle's documents handed over to them, and carried out the seizure in a ‘hasty and arbitrary’ fashion.

However, on Wednesday, the ED raided premises related to Dulquer and Mammootty, including one in Chennai, according to a PTI report. The action was taken under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in a recent case unearthed by the preventive department of Customs related to the alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles and unauthorised foreign exchange dealings. The ED will also soon file a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe the allegations, sources said.