DGP K Ramachandra Rao, Kannada Actor Ranya Rao's Stepfather, Sent On Compulsory Leave

K Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police at Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, who is also stepfather of Kannada actor Ranya Rao, has been sent on "compulsory leave". The decision is said to be made due to Kannada actor Ranya Rao's arrest in a gold smuggling case. However, the leave order for K Ramachandra Rao was issued without any stated reason.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detained Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport earlier this month. She was found with 14.8 kg of gold upon her arrival from Dubai. The gold bars seized were valued at Rs 12.56 crore. A source mentioned that she attempted to smuggle the gold by wearing some and hiding the rest in her clothes.

Investigation into Gold Smuggling

Authorities have been monitoring Ms Rao for a while. Their suspicions intensified after she made four trips to Dubai within 15 days. Preliminary investigations indicate that she used her connections to bypass security checks by claiming to be the daughter of a Karnataka DGP and seeking local police escorts.

Following her arrest, officials searched the home she shared with her husband. They discovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore during the search.

Family Reactions and Statements

"Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when it came to my notice through the media," said K Ramachandra Rao about his stepdaughter's arrest. He added that he was unaware of these activities and did not wish to comment further.

The senior cop also mentioned that Ranya Rao does not live with them but resides separately with her husband. He speculated that there might be issues between them due to family matters.

Multiple Agencies Involved

The investigation into the gold smuggling case involves three agencies: DRI is handling Ranya Rao's case, CBI is probing the broader smuggling network, and ED is investigating the Hawala Channel.