Bengaluru – A special court for economic offences on Friday granted the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) three days’ custody of actress Ranya Rao, 33, who was arrested at Bengaluru International Airport on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai.
The DRI sought custodial interrogation to investigate the source of the smuggled gold and its intended destination, citing concerns that the case may have links to anti-national activities.
According to sources, Rao—who is the stepdaughter of a senior DGP-rank IPS officer in Karnataka—had strapped gold worth Rs 12.86 crore to her body in an attempt to bypass customs detection. Investigators revealed that she had traveled to Dubai 27 times in the past six months, raising suspicions about the nature of her frequent trips.
Following her arrest, a raid at her residence led to the seizure of jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 crore, bringing the total value of confiscated assets in the case to Rs 17.29 crore.
Rao, who holds a passport under the name Harshavardini Ranya, told officials she worked as a “freelancer in real estate in Dubai.” However, authorities are probing whether she had smuggled gold on previous occasions as well.
Investigators believe she used VIP channels to exit Bengaluru airport upon arrival, often escorted by a protocol official, which may have allowed her to bypass thorough security checks.
While Rao has filed for bail, the court has put her petition on hold pending the DRI’s ongoing investigation. Officials continue to probe whether she was part of a larger smuggling network and whether her repeated trips to Dubai and Malaysia—often within five to ten days—were linked to illicit activities.
