Ranya Rao Arrest: Gold Smuggling Case

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested for gold smuggling; currently in DRI custody.
14.2 kg of gold, worth Rs 12.86 crore, seized; smuggled from Dubai.
Economic Offences Court to rule on her bail petition tomorrow.
Ranya Rao traveled to Dubai 27 times this year, raising DRI suspicions.
Ranya’s stepfather, IPS officer K. Ramachandra Rao, also faced past controversies.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

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Kannada actress Ranya Rao has been arrested on charges of gold smuggling at Bengaluru International Airport. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) took her into custody. She is accused of smuggling 14.2 kilograms of gold worth Rs 12.86 crore. Her first photograph surfaced after the arrest. The Economic Offences Court has reserved its order on her bail petition until tomorrow. This keeps her legal status uncertain.

DRI Allegations:

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The DRI alleges that Ranya Rao has traveled to Dubai 27 times this year. This raises suspicions about her involvement in smuggling activities. During the hearing, the DRI’s advocate argued that further custody is necessary. They need to investigate how she violated protocols. It is also essential to know how the gold smuggling operation was carried out.

Ranya Rao’s Defense:

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Ranya Rao’s lawyer argued that the DRI has already interrogated her. No further questioning is needed, therefore she was sent to judicial custody. The lawyer criticized the authorities for suddenly seeking her custody after she filed for bail. He called this suspicious. He also noted that Ranya Rao’s laptop has already been seized. Investigators have access to all digital evidence.

Stepfather’s Controversial Past:

Ranya Rao’s stepfather, IPS officer K. Ramachandra Rao, has also faced controversies. He is the Director-General of Police (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation). He expressed shock over his daughter’s arrest for gold smuggling. He claimed he has a clean career record. However, his past suggests otherwise.

Ramachandra Rao told ANI, “The law will do its job. There is no black mark on my career.” He said he had no prior knowledge of Ranya Rao’s alleged involvement in smuggling. He only learned about the arrest through media reports.

He stated, “I was also shocked and devastated when such an incident came to my notice through the media. I was not aware of any of these things. Like any other father, I was also shocked. She is not living with us. She is living separately with her husband. There must be some family issues.”

Previous Accusations Against Ramachandra Rao:

In 2014, when Ramachandra Rao was the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Southern Range, Mysuru, he was involved in a hawala scandal. Police intercepted a bus carrying hawala money and seized Rs 20 lakh. Later, a Kerala-based businessman claimed police pocketed additional money.

The businessman alleged that Rs 2.07 crore was looted from a bus heading to Kerala in the Yelwal area of Mysore. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) investigated. The investigation led to the arrest of police informants and Ramachandra Rao’s personal gunman. He was removed from his post as IGP of the Southern Range and transferred to headquarters.

Two years later, Ramachandra Rao faced trouble again. The CID questioned him and another senior IPS officer about the deaths of gangsters Dharmaraj and Gangadhar Chadachana in an alleged fake encounter. Rao claimed he had no knowledge of the case when questioned by the CID.

Meanwhile, Ranya Rao has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody under the Customs Act of 1962. She was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 with 14.8 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore. During interrogation, Ranya claimed she was blackmailed into smuggling gold. The investigation is ongoing. The court will rule on Ranya’s bail tomorrow. All eyes are on the outcome of this case. Ranya Rao remains in the spotlight due to her involvement in gold smuggling.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested for gold smuggling.
DRI seized 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.86 crore.
Economic Offences Court to decide on bail petition tomorrow.
Ranya Rao traveled to Dubai 27 times this year, raising suspicions of smuggling.
Ranya Rao’s stepfather, IPS officer K. Ramachandra Rao, has faced past controversies.