Ranya Rao: Gold Smuggling Confession | Hawala Link

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

• Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested in a gold smuggling case.
• Ranya confessed to sending money via hawala for gold purchases.
• DRI provided the information to the court.
• The actress’s bail plea has been rejected twice.
• Ranya’s stepfather, DGP Ramchandra Rao, sent on compulsory leave.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

Kannada actor Ranya Rao, arrested with 14.8 kg of gold at the Bengaluru airport earlier this month, has confessed that money used for the purchase of gold was routed through hawala channels, anti-smuggling agency DRI told a court on Tuesday. During Ranya Rao’s bail plea hearing, advocate Madhu Rao, representing the DRI, said that authorities issued a notice under Section 108 to initiate a judicial enquiry against the actor. The investigation aims to determine the extent of the financial irregularities and any potential violations of the law. This gold smuggling case is serious.

Ranya Rao’s bail plea has been rejected twice so far, once by a lower court, and another by the Special Court for Economic Offences. Arguments in the latest bail plea hearing have concluded, and the court has reserved an order for March 27.

On March 3, the 31-year-old was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, where authorities confiscated gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from the actor. A subsequent search of her residence reportedly resulted in the seizure of gold jewellery valued at Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. More revelations are expected in this gold smuggling case.

The DRI’s big claim of Ranya Rao’s confession in the gold smuggling case came days after it alleged it had evidence of the actor and her friend Tarun Raju making 26 trips to Dubai, in which they would leave in the morning and return by the evening. Tarun is Ranya’s actor friend and an accused in the gold-smuggling case. Authorities had revealed that Ranya sent money to Tarun’s account and booked his ticket, who then went from Dubai to Hyderabad.

It is suspected that these frequent and same-day return journeys were used to smuggle gold into India. Another suspicious travel detail that earlier raised eyebrows was Ranya Rao’s 52 trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025, 45 of them a single-day round trip. In January 2025 alone, Rao visited Dubai 27 times, passing through Bengaluru, Goa and Mumbai.

Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport after a thorough personal search revealed gold bars wrapped around her waist and calves with bandages and tissues. Besides, additional gold bars and cut pieces were also found in her shoes and front pockets.

The gold recovered was 24 carats and weighed 14.2 kg, valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore, and Rao has been charged under the Customs Act and the Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act. The Protocol Officer who assisted the actor had told investigating officers that he had done so under specific instructions from DGP Ramchandra Rao, Ranya’s stepfather. Ramchandra Rao was recently sent on compulsory leave amid huge uproar over the gold smuggling case.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

• Ranya Rao was arrested in the gold smuggling case.
• She confessed to sending funds via hawala.
• The DRI is investigating the case.
• Her bail plea has been rejected twice.
• DGP Ramchandra Rao was sent on compulsory leave.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

See Full Bio