Categories
The special court for economic offences in Bengaluru denied Ranya Rao’s bail plea on March 14, citing her possession of a UAE Resident Identity Card in connection with a gold smuggling case.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, also known as Harhsavardini Ranya, was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai. Investigations have uncovered her use of a US passport belonging to her associate and co-accused, Telugu actor Virat Konduru, to bypass Dubai customs checks, facilitating the illegal transfer of the gold. The findings were presented in a special court during Ranya Rao’s bail hearings.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which arrested Ranya Rao, revealed that during past trips to the UAE, she had filed customs declarations in Dubai stating that she was transporting the gold to Geneva. However, it was discovered that instead of following this declaration, she had smuggled the gold into India. Two documents found at Ranya Rao’s residence after her arrest – dated November 13 and December 20, 2024 – further indicated that she falsely declared Geneva as the destination for the gold consignments.
Ranya Rao’s bail plea was rejected by the special magistrate’s court on March 14. The actress, who has now moved to a sessions court for bail, is accused of evading Rs 4.83 crore in customs duties, with the gold valued at Rs 12.56 crore. The DRI also seized over Rs 4.7 crore worth of assets from her home, including cash and jewelry.
The investigation points to a well-organized smuggling syndicate operating between India and Dubai, using elaborate methods to smuggle large quantities of gold into India while evading customs duty. The gold was allegedly brought into India with the assistance of a US passport held by Konduru, which facilitated the clearance of the consignment through Dubai customs under the pretense of it being shipped to Geneva – a country that does not require a visa for US passport holders.
According to the probe, Ranya Rao was an active participant in the smuggling operation. She had reportedly bought the gold from a supplier in Dubai and declared it in Konduru’s name, using his US passport for clearance. The two actors had been traveling frequently to Dubai, with their trips seemingly timed to evade customs scrutiny.
Ranya Rao has claimed she received the gold from a stranger at the Dubai airport and strapped it to her body using medical adhesive and bandages to avoid detection during her flight back to India. However, the DRI investigation suggests she was far more involved, and the claim of being a “mule” appears to be a cover for her active role in the illegal activities.
Both actors have reportedly traveled to Dubai around 25 times in recent months. On the day of Ranya Rao’s arrest, she had flown from Bengaluru to Dubai early in the morning, returning the same day with the gold. Their tickets were reportedly booked using the credit card of Ranya’s husband, Jatin Hukkeri, an architect.
The DRI also revealed that payments for the gold were routed through hawala channels from India to Dubai, further complicating the smuggling network.
In a twist to the investigation, it has been revealed that Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of K. Ramachandra Rao, a senior IPS officer in Karnataka, who has been sent on compulsory leave following the unfolding investigation. The actress is believed to have used VIP services at the Bengaluru airport, potentially facilitating her attempts to smuggle the gold with fewer obstacles.
The investigation has also uncovered links to a gold purchase firm in Bengaluru that allegedly coordinated with Dubai-based suppliers and had close ties with the South Indian film industry, as well as with political figures.
Both Ranya Rao and Virat Konduru were not prominent in their film careers but had been partners in a Dubai-based diamond trading company. The gold consignments were allegedly transported in their names, with the Dubai company playing a crucial role in facilitating the illegal transactions.
Central agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), DRI, and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), are now investigating further into the smuggling network. Search operations have been conducted at locations connected to Ranya Rao, her husband, Konduru, and other individuals linked to a Bengaluru-based gold purchase firm.
Table of Contents
The increasing number of smuggling cases and the high frequency of trips from Dubai have led the DRI to suspect the involvement of a large international smuggling syndicate. The investigation continues, with authorities focusing on dismantling the entire network responsible for smuggling gold into India.
Read Also : Haryana BJP Leader Fatally Shot by Neighbor in Land Dispute, Caught on Camera
