The Karnataka High Court has dismissed two habeas corpus petitions challenging the preventive detention of two individuals connected to a high-profile gold smuggling case, which allegedly involves actor Ranya Rao. The petitions were filed by relatives of the detained accused, who claimed the detentions were illegal.
Court Upholds Detention Under COFEPOSA
A division bench comprising Justices Anu Sivaraman and Vijayakumar A Patil rejected the pleas. The bench upheld the detention orders issued under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), 1974. The court found that the authorities had presented sufficient grounds for the preventive detention of the two accused.
Key Findings on the Accused
The court noted a specific finding regarding the involvement of Sahil Sakariya Jain in smuggling activities. The detention order clearly recorded that he is an integral part of the smuggling syndicate and that merely retaining his passport would not prevent him from engaging in illegal activities.
Similarly, the court observed that the detention order identified Konduru Tarun Raju as a key member of the same smuggling syndicate. Based on these recorded findings, the bench saw no merit in the petitions arguing for their release.
Petitioners and Related Case
The habeas corpus petitions were filed by Rama Raju, a relative of Konduru Tarun Raju, and Priyanka Sakariya, a cousin of Sahil Sakariya Jain. This ruling follows a previous decision by the same bench, which had rejected a similar petition filed by HP Rohini challenging the detention of her daughter, actor Ranya Rao, in connection with the same case.
The court's decision reinforces the use of the COFEPOSA act in this investigation, emphasizing the legal view that the accused pose a significant flight risk and threat to economic security, warranting preventive detention.
