Bengaluru: Kannada actress Ranya Rao has been arrested at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold worth over Rs 12 crore from Dubai.
Ranya, also the step daughter of Karnataka DGP-rank IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, was intercepted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials after she arrived in Bengaluru on an Emirates flight from Dubai on Sunday evening. Gold bars hidden in a belt strapped to her body, along with 800 grams of gold jewellery.
A special court remanded her to judicial custody for 14 days.
Authorities suspect Ranya is linked to a larger smuggling network operating through the Bengaluru airport. Investigators had been tracking her frequent short trips to Dubai, especially after she flew four times in just 15 days, despite having no known business interests. This pattern raised suspicion, prompting a targeted operation upon her return.
According to media reports, preliminary findings suggest Ranya might have attempted to use her connections to evade customs checks. She allegedly used VIP protocol services for senior government officials to avoid frisking. A protocol officer would meet her at the terminal and ensure she was escorted out without screening.
On March 2 evening too, a police constable tried to escort her out of the airport without security checks, but DRI officers intervened. Officials noted that she consistently wore similar outfits during her recent trips, most probably to conceal the gold. The constable who assisted her was questioned and later released.
Following her arrest, Ranya claimed she was blackmailed into smuggling gold.
Besides verifying her claim, the DRI officials are investigating whether any law enforcement officers, including her IPS relative, were aware of her activities or were unknowingly misled into assisting her.
Meanwhile, the senior IPS officer distanced himself from her actions. He stated to the News Minute that she married architect Jatin Hukkeri four months ago and had not visited her family since.
Ranya debuted in 2014 with Kannada film ‘Maanikya’. She entered Tamil cinema in 2016 with ‘Wagah’, starring opposite Vikram Prabhu, and returned to Kannada films in 2017 with ‘Pataki’, portraying a journalist alongside Ganesh.
