Sleuths investigating the gold smuggling case linked to Kannada actress Ranya Rao suspect the involvement of central agency officials, according to a senior Karnataka police officer. The investigation focuses on the 17 foreign-origin gold bars, valued at ₹12.56 crore, seized from Rao. Authorities suspect that two Bengaluru-based jewellers were the intended recipients.
The investigation is centered around two key questions: who supplied the gold in Dubai and how the payment was made — whether through cryptocurrency, cash, or hawala transactions. Rao, aged 33, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 when she arrived at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai. The following day, the DRI also seized gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 lakh in cash from her residence.
Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police, Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, which has raised suspicions regarding her ability to bypass security checks due to alleged bureaucratic protocol. Investigators believe that the smuggling operation could not have succeeded without active involvement from officials in customs, immigration, or even the DRI itself.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now filed an FIR against the gold smugglers, with an eye on identifying the Dubai supplier and the Bengaluru buyers. Investigators have seized digital devices from Rao, and further raids are expected. The case bears similarities to the 2020 Kerala gold smuggling scandal, and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) may take over the probe.
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