Ranya Rao, taken into custody after 14 kg of gold bars valued at Rs 14.56 crore were confiscated from her at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, traveled to Dubai 27 times within a year. Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have stated that the 14.2 kg confiscation is among the biggest gold seizures at the Bengaluru airport in recent times.
Rao, the stepdaughter of senior IPS official Ramachandra Rao, was apprehended by DRI officers on Monday night. The agency, functioning under the Ministry of Finance, had been observing her activities because of her regular travels to Dubai.
The Customs requested four days of custody for the 33-year-old actor during the hearing of her bail application.
In response to this, her attorney stated that Ranya Rao was placed in judicial custody (from March 4 to March 18) because the DRI had no additional inquiries for her. “Now that she has submitted a bail petition, the Custom department requires her custody,” the lawyer stated. The court has postponed the custody order until tomorrow.
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The inquiry into the matter has disclosed that Rao was involved in the gold smuggling operation and received substantial commissions for transporting goods from Dubai to Bengaluru, stated the Indo-Asian News Service.
The report states that the actor supposedly earned approximately Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in commission for smuggling one kilogram of gold from Dubai to Bengaluru.
Following the seizure at the Bengaluru airport, searches were carried out at Ranya Rao’s residence, where gold jewelry valued at Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency totaling Rs 2.67 crore were also found, the DRI announced on Wednesday.
RANYA’S FATHER SAYS HE IS ‘SHOCKED’
Separating himself from the case, the actor’s stepfather stated he was uninformed about Ranya and her husband’s financial activities and that the legal process would proceed accordingly.
“Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when it came to my notice through the media. I was not aware of any of these things. I don’t want to say anything more,” Rao said.
The DGP-rank official also clarified that Rao did not reside with him.
Ranya Rao is presently the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
