Rs 20.6 Million in Gold and Rs 26.7 Million in Cash Seized from Jailed Kannada Actress Ranya Rao’s Flat in Gold Smuggling Case

TDT | Manama
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 In a significant development related to the ongoing gold smuggling investigation, authorities have seized a massive amount of gold and cash from the residence of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who is currently in custody. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted a raid at her upscale flat on Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, uncovering a stash worth crores.

The raid uncovered Rs 20.6 million worth of gold and Rs 26.7 million in cash, according to DRI officials. Ranya Rao had previously been arrested at the Bengaluru International Airport, where she was caught with 14.8 kg of gold hidden in her clothing. Investigators believe the actress used her frequent international trips, including multiple visits to Dubai, to smuggle the precious metal into India.

Rao, 32, is the daughter of Ramachandra Rao, the Director General of Police for the Police Housing Corporation. However, her father has distanced himself from the controversy, revealing that the two have had no contact since her marriage four months ago.

The actress had made several trips abroad, prompting the DRI to monitor her movements closely. On the day of her arrest, four officers from the DRI were stationed at the airport, awaiting her arrival. Reports suggest that Rao exploited her father’s status to bypass security checks, often arranging for local police to assist her after her arrival.

Authorities are now investigating the extent of her involvement in smuggling operations and whether any law enforcement officers or other officials were complicit in the crimes. The DRI is also looking into the possibility that Ranya Rao had engaged in smuggling activities before.

After her arrest, Rao was taken to the DRI office for questioning and was later presented in court, where she was remanded to judicial custody. The actress, who has appeared in several South Indian films, including a major role opposite Kannada actor Sudeep in Maanikya, remains at the center of a high-profile investigation.