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Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday night for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai to India. Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended her upon arrival and presented her before an economic offences court the next day, where she was remanded to 14 days in judicial custody.
According to reports from ANI and PTI, Ranya Rao had been under surveillance due to her frequent travel to Dubai. Authorities grew suspicious after she flew to Dubai four times within 15 days, prompting them to launch a targeted operation. ANI reported that the DRI team had received a tip-off about her alleged involvement in gold smuggling and had stationed themselves at the airport hours before her arrival. She was taken into custody after her flight landed around 7 PM.
Investigators quoted by PTI revealed that Ranya Rao had allegedly concealed gold bars in her clothing and was also wearing a significant portion of the smuggled gold. Initial probes suggest she may have used her connections to bypass customs checks before being intercepted. Authorities suspect the seized 14.8 kg of gold was being smuggled into India illegally. However, during questioning, Rao claimed she had been traveling to Dubai for business purposes, ANI reported.
Ranya Rao made her acting debut in 2014 with the Kannada film Maanikya, directed by and starring Sudeep. She later ventured into Tamil cinema, starring alongside Vikram Prabhu in the 2016 film Wagah.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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