Actress and Aides Face Maximum Punishment in High-Value Gold Smuggling Case
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has taken a decisive step in a major gold smuggling case, filing a prosecution complaint on Thursday that seeks the maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment for Kannada actress Ranya Rao and three of her associates. The group is accused of orchestrating a sophisticated smuggling operation that brought over 100 kg of gold, valued at more than ₹102 crore, into India during the 2024-2025 period.
The Dramatic Arrest and Expanding Investigation
The case came to light on March 3, when 33-year-old Ranya Rao was arrested upon her arrival at Bengaluru airport from Dubai. Customs officials discovered she was carrying 14.2 kg of gold, worth ₹12.56 crore, strapped to her body using bandages. This dramatic arrest proved to be just the tip of the iceberg, leading investigators to a much larger smuggling network.
The investigation revealed that Rao had made 31 trips to Dubai since 2024, during which she allegedly smuggled nearly 127 kg of gold into the country. Her arrest subsequently led to the apprehension of three other accused: Telugu actor Tarun Konduru (36), hawala dealer Sahil Jain (29), and his uncle, jeweller Bharat Jain (45).
Legal Measures and Preventive Detention
In a significant move to prevent the accused from returning to illegal activities, the Central Government issued orders on April 22 for the detention of Rao, Konduru, and Jain under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974. This preventive detention is scheduled to run until April 2026, though the accused have challenged it in the Karnataka High Court.
The DRI has filed a comprehensive 350-page prosecution complaint, supported by 2,200 pages of related documents, in a special court for economic offences. The agency is pursuing the maximum punishment under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962, which applies to repeated smuggling offences.
Political Connections and Ongoing Scrutiny
Adding another layer to the case is Ranya Rao's family connection to Karnataka IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, her stepfather and a director general of police rank officer. The DRI questioned the senior police officer about his knowledge of the smuggling racket, particularly regarding Ranya Rao's use of an official state car when she returned from Dubai.
Following his stepdaughter's arrest, Rao was sent on compulsory leave by the Karnataka Government in March but was reinstated on August 11 and appointed as the Director General of Police at the Directorate for Civil Rights Enforcement.
In September, the DRI served Ranya Rao with a notice for penalty payment of ₹102 crore, equivalent to the value of the gold she allegedly smuggled into India from Dubai. The detention order was issued by the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau of the Ministry of Finance at the DRI's request, highlighting the seriousness with which authorities are treating this case.
