NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has flagged Sandalwood actor Ranya Rao’s extensive international travel history, revealing she visited Dubai 27 times and traveled to over 45 countries.
DRI, referring to the entries made in her passport and data available with them, said, “This apart, there are many unanswered questions: Who is helping Ranya? Is it a smuggling syndicate? This is an issue of threat to national security, and a deep interrogation of the accused is needed. Therefore, we seek her custody for three days from March 9,” the public prosecutor argued.
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Bengaluru gold smuggling case
The scrutiny follows her recent arrest at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), where she was caught smuggling 14.8kg of gold, sparking a major investigation.
A raid at her upscale Lavelle Road apartment in Bengaluru led to the discovery of Rs 2.1 crore worth of designer gold ornaments and Rs 2.7 crore in cash, bringing the total seizure in the case to Rs 17.3 crore.
Sources indicated that the jewellery was allegedly acquired under the direction of a prominent politician, though officials have not disclosed any names. Reports suggest the ornaments came from a high-end designer store in the city.
Ranya, the daughter of DGP (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao, was under surveillance after officials received a tip-off about her suspected involvement in gold smuggling.
The DRI team was stationed at KIA two hours before her Emirates flight landed around 7 pm on Monday. Upon her arrival, she was intercepted with gold bars hidden inside a belt strapped to her body and was immediately taken into custody.
She was produced before a special financial offences court on March 4, where the judge remanded her to judicial custody until March 18.
Her legal team sought bail, arguing that she was presented before a judge late at night without DRI requesting her custody.
However, the agency strongly opposed her release, citing the need to investigate the source of the gold, payment methods, and possible links to a larger smuggling network.
Before being transferred to judicial custody, Ranya underwent a medical examination at Bowring Hospital. During questioning, she claimed her frequent Dubai visits were for business, but officials believe she was part of an illegal smuggling operation.
As the investigation deepens, authorities are analysing her financial records and potential connections to organised smuggling networks.
Who is Ranya Rao?
Ranya, a native of Chikmagalur, Karnataka, pursued engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before entering 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 lead’s love interest.
Expanding her reach, she ventured into Tamil cinema with Wagah (2016), starring opposite Vikram Prabhu. In 2017, she returned to Kannada films with Pataki, portraying a journalist alongside actor Ganesh.
‘Visited Dubai 4 times in 15 days’
Their suspicions grew when she flew to Dubai four times within just 15 days. Acting on this pattern, a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team intercepted her at the airport on Monday. Although she appeared composed and showed no nervousness, a search revealed gold bars concealed inside a belt she was wearing, leading to her arrest.
Ranya is the daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao. Reports suggest that after landing, she allegedly introduced herself as the daughter of the state’s Director General of Police and reached out to local officers to secure an escort home.
Investigators are now probing whether any law enforcement officials knowingly or unknowingly assisted her.
Her father, however, has distanced himself from her actions. He revealed that Ranya had married Jatin Hukkeri, an architect specialising in pub and microbrewery designs, four months ago and had since lost touch with her family. Expressing disappointment, he stated, “She has let us down. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course.”
