Bengaluru actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold after arriving from Dubai. She was taken into custody on Monday and remanded for 14 days by an economic offences court. Rao had drawn attention due to her frequent travels, reportedly making four trips to Dubai in just 15 days. Investigators suspect she concealed the gold under her clothing and may have tried to leverage her connections, claiming to be the daughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police. Authorities are examining if she acted alone or as part of a larger smuggling network.
Bengaluru:
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence apprehended Kannada actress Ranya Rao at Bengaluru International Airport after discovering she had 14.8 kg of gold in her possession, officials reported on Tuesday.
Following her arrest late Monday, she was brought before an economic offences court, which placed her in judicial custody for 14 days, according to officials.
As per officials, Rao had arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight and had been under investigation due to her frequent international trips.
Investigators stated that she allegedly smuggled the gold by wearing a substantial amount of it and hiding gold bars within her clothing.
Authorities became suspicious when they noted her four trips to Dubai within 15 days, prompting a focused operation upon her return.
Initial investigations indicate that the actress may have sought to leverage her connections to evade customs checks.
Reports suggest that upon her arrival, she purportedly claimed to be the daughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police and reached out to local police officers for an escort to her residence.
Officials are now investigating whether any law enforcement members, including her IPS relative, were aware of her actions or were misled into aiding her. After her arrest, Rao was taken to the DRI headquarters in Bengaluru’s HBR Layout for further questioning.
Authorities are examining if she acted independently or was linked to a larger smuggling operation between Dubai and India.
Rao, recognized for her role alongside Kannada superstar Sudeep in ‘Maanikya’ (2014), has also appeared in several other South Indian films.
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