Kannada Actress Ranya Rao’s Bail Plea Reserved As DRI Seeks Custody In Gold Smuggling Case

The Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru on Friday reserved its decision on the bail application of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested at Bengaluru International Airport on charges of gold smuggling.

The verdict is expected on Friday, as investigative agencies have sought her custody, reported India Today.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/RanyaRao

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) argued that Rao's three-day custody was essential for the ongoing investigation, which is linked to national security concerns. However, the actor's legal team objected to the request.

The prosecution countered that objections should not be entertained when custody is being sought, given the sensitive nature of the case.

The DRI's lawyers stated that protocol breaches had occurred and that key details could not be disclosed in open court. They assured the judge that, if required, investigation findings could be submitted in a sealed document.

The court was informed that key developments had taken place over the past two days and that making them public could compromise the investigation.

The DRI stressed on the necessity of custody, citing the potential involvement of a larger smuggling network and the need for a comprehensive probe.

The prosecution also referred to a Supreme Court ruling, which permits up to 40 days of custody in such cases. After hearing the arguments, the judge ruled that the bail plea could only be considered once the investigation was concluded.

The actress, who is the stepdaughter of Ramchandra Rao, the Director General of Police (Karnataka State Housing Corporation), was apprehended by the DRI on Monday evening upon her arrival at Bengaluru International Airport from Dubai.

She allegedly attempted to evade security screening by using her connections to her DGP stepfather. However, gold worth ₹12.56 crore was found in her possession, leading to her arrest. Subsequently, DRI officials raided her residence in the upscale Lavelle Road area of Bengaluru, where they recovered additional gold and cash amounting to several crores.

Ranya had been under the DRI's watch due to her frequent international travel. Authorities noted that she had visited Dubai over 30 times in the past year, including four times in the last 15 days alone, raising suspicions of smuggling.

A thorough search led to the discovery of gold bars cleverly concealed on her person, following which she was taken into custody.