Bengaluru, March 13 – Kannada actor Ranya Rao has been arrested for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore from Dubai to Bengaluru. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended her at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on March 3, where she was found with gold biscuits strapped to her body.
How She Smuggled the Gold
During questioning, Ranya Rao admitted that she had watched YouTube tutorials to learn how to conceal gold bars. She purchased crepe bandages and scissors at Dubai Airport, then secured the gold to her body, jeans, and shoes in a restroom before boarding the flight.
“The gold was in two plastic-covered packets. I hid the gold in my jeans and shoes. I learned how to do this from YouTube videos,” Rao reportedly told DRI officials.
She also revealed that she had been receiving calls from unknown international numbers for two weeks before the smuggling attempt. A caller with an “African-American accent” allegedly instructed her to collect the gold at Dubai Airport’s Terminal 3 and deliver it in Bengaluru. However, she claimed she did not know the identity of the person who coordinated the operation.
Contradictory Statements and Investigation
Initially, Rao told officials it was her first attempt at gold smuggling and that she had never purchased gold from Dubai before. However, investigators suspect her trip may have been part of a larger smuggling network.
Ranya Rao is also the stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao, raising further questions about potential links or protection in the case.
Legal Proceedings and Court Ruling
Following her arrest, Rao was presented before a special Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru on March 4, where she was remanded to judicial custody until March 18.
During the hearing, Justice Vishwanath C Gowdar ordered that she be provided with basic necessities such as food and a bed, while also granting her 30-minute daily meetings with her lawyer. The court also instructed the DRI to ensure humane treatment during the investigation.
With authorities probing further, the case highlights the increasing trend of gold smuggling through Indian airports, often involving first-time couriers unaware of the full extent of the criminal networks they engage with.
