The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) told the Karnataka High Court that 100 kg of gold was smuggled into India from Dubai by a network allegedly involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao and Telugu actor Virat (Tarun) Konduru. This disclosure came during the bail hearing of the accused on Monday.

According to the DRI, customs declarations from Dubai and records tied to arrested hawala operator Sahil Jain revealed the scale of the operation—beyond the 14.2 kg seized from Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport on March 3. Investigators believe that 11 of the 31 trips the actors made to Dubai in 2024 were used for smuggling gold.

What raised more flags: the actors allegedly made 25 single-day trips to Dubai, and the DRI now has four new customs declarations from 2024 under review.

The High Court demanded full details of these declarations. In a separate query, the judge also asked how Ranya Rao accessed VIP protocol services meant for government officials during her return from the US. The DRI counsel claimed it was facilitated by her stepfather, senior DGP Ramachandra Rao, via instructions to a constable.

Meanwhile, Ranya Rao’s legal team questioned the legality of her interception, citing alleged violations of the Customs Act. Konduru’s counsel denied his involvement, insisting he had no role in the smuggling.

The DRI claims Konduru’s US passport was used to clear gold through Dubai Customs by falsely declaring destinations like Geneva, Bangkok, and the US.