Bengaluru: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) raided the residence of Kannada actor Ranya Rao in Bengaluru after arresting her for smuggling gold worth Rs 12.56 crore through Kempegowda International Airport upon her arrival from Dubai.
The agency has found gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash at her Lavelle Road home. Three large boxes were also confiscated during the search. The total seizure value was estimated at Rs 17.29 crore, making it one of the biggest gold smuggling cases at Bengaluru airport in recent times, as per the DRI, reported the Hindustan Times.
Ranya Rao, a popular Kannada actor and step-daughter of Karnataka top cop, had been under surveillance due to her repeated international trips with her husband, Jatin. According to reports, her trips raised suspicion as she had no apparent business or family links there. The actor travelled to Dubai four times in 15 days, raising revenue intelligence’s doubts, reported the India Today.
According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Rao – the step-daughter of Director General of Police (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao – had been under their radar. Reports claimed that the agency acted on a tip-off, leading to her arrest upon her arrival from Dubai on an Emirates flight.
She hid the gold bars in clothing
Officials claimed that the gold was concealed in her clothing as she wore a significant portion of the gold bars inside the lining of her jacket. Each time she returned to Bengaluru, she was seen wearing a substantial amount of gold jewellery, India Today reported.
She was presented before an economic offences court that remanded her in 14-day judicial custody.
