Nappa, Karnataka–Ranya Rao, the Kannada actress, was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after allegedly attempting to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold into India. Rao was intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on her arrival from Dubai based on intelligence inputs regarding her frequent trips abroad.
Ranya Rao, aged 33 and known for her involvement in films like “Maanikya” and “Pataki,” was intercepted after she landed on an Emirates flight from Dubai. It was found that she was carrying with her 14.2 kg of gold, cunningly concealed on her body. Subsequent searching at her Bengaluru house unearthed other assets: ₹2.06 crore worth of gold jewellery and cash amounting to ₹2.67 crore, totaling ₹17.29 crore seized.
Ranya was produced before a special court for economic offences after her arrest and remanded to judicial custody until March 18, 2025. Investigations are underway, and police are trying to establish whether she acted independently or is part of an international smuggling syndicate operating between Dubai and India.
The incident is especially getting so much attention due to the fact that Ranya is related to the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP), Dr. K. Ramachandra Rao, the head of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.
The DGP Rao expressed: “This is a huge shock and disappointment. She got married four months ago and has never come to visit us. We don’t know her or her husband’s business. This has come as a huge shock and disappointment. The law will take its course.”
The arrest has triggered discussions among political figures. That is why, while AS Ponnanna, Congress MLA and Legal Advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, said, “She is an accused for indulging in smuggling. The law will take its course as much as whether she is the DGP’s daughter, the CM’s daughter, or the PM’s daughter… If there is any official nexus involved in this, it will come out in the investigation”.
The shooting incident has sent a shocking wave through the regional Kannada film fraternity, with peers and fans expressing their disbelief over the allegations. Once again, the roads and pressures faced by actors in the industry have come to the forefront of public discussions that argue the need for a support system, to ensure no more emergence of such tensions.
The DRI continues its investigation to unveil the entire racket of smuggling and any networks that might have had a connection with it. The officials are also diving into inquiries as to whether there were any law enforcement personnel aware of or assisted in her activities. For the time being, Ranya Rao is in judicial custody while the investigation continues.
