NEW DELHI: The 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru on Thursday dismissed the bail plea of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, who was arrested in connection with a Rs 12.56 crore gold smuggling case.
This follows the Special Court for Economic Offences’ rejection of her bail plea on March 14. Ranya had initially sought bail from the Magistrate Court, but it was denied.
Ranya, daughter of Karnataka DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao, was taken into custody on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport after authorities seized 14.2 kg of smuggled gold from her upon her arrival from Dubai.
In an another development, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Sahil Jain, a gold dealer from Ballari, for allegedly assisting Ranya in disposing of the smuggled gold and sharing the proceeds. Sources said Jain was questioned in connection with the case before being taken into custody on Wednesday.
Following Ranya’s arrest, officials searched her residence, where they recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash. The investigation into the case is ongoing, with officials looking into the wider smuggling network.
Who is Ranya Rao?
Ranya Rao, originally from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, pursued an engineering degree at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before shifting to the film industry.
She made her debut in the 2014 Kannada film Maanikya, directed by and starring Sudeep, where she played a wealthy woman and the protagonist’s love interest. Expanding her career, she entered Tamil cinema with Wagah (2016), starring alongside Vikram Prabhu. In 2017, she returned to Kannada films with Pataki, portraying a journalist opposite actor Ganesh.
Four Dubai Visits in 15 Days Raised Suspicions
Authorities became wary when Ranya traveled to Dubai four times within just 15 days. Noticing this unusual pattern, a DRI team intercepted her at the airport on Monday. Although she remained calm and showed no visible signs of nervousness, a search led to the discovery of gold bars hidden in a belt she was wearing, resulting in her immediate arrest.
Ranya is the daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao. Reports suggest that after landing, she allegedly identified herself as the daughter of the state’s Director General of Police and attempted to contact local officers for an official escort home. Investigators are now probing whether any law enforcement personnel were knowingly or unknowingly involved in assisting her.
Her father, however, has distanced himself from the incident. He revealed that Ranya had married Jatin Hukkeri, an architect specialising in pub and microbrewery designs, four months ago and had since been out of touch with her family. Expressing his disappointment, he stated, “She has let us down. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course.
