Rs 17.3 Crore Seized: Karnataka DGP’s Daughter Ranya Rao’s Flat Yields Gold, Cash in Smuggling Probe
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has escalated its probe into a massive gold-smuggling racket involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP Ramachandra Rao. On Wednesday, a raid on her upscale Lavelle Road apartment in Bengaluru uncovered Rs 2.1 crore worth of designer gold ornaments and Rs 2.7 crore in cash, pushing the total seizure to a staggering Rs 17.3 crore.
Rao was nabbed Monday night at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after arriving from Dubai with 14.2 kg of gold bars—worth Rs 12.56 crore—hidden in a belt strapped to her body. The DRI calls this one of the largest gold seizures from an air passenger in recent years. Now, the focus has shifted to a jewellery boutique on Lavelle Road, where sources say the recovered ornaments were bought at the direction of a “prominent politician.”
“We’re still tracing the gold bars’ intended recipients and the cash flow for these ornaments,” a DRI source told PTI. The agency suspects a deeper network, with Ranya’s frequent Dubai trips—over 30 in the past year—raising red flags. She’s been charged under the Customs Act, 1962, and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days. Her husband and family face questioning next.
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DGP Ramachandra Rao, head of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, distanced himself from the scandal. “I was shocked and devastated to learn this through the media,” he told ANI. “She lives separately with her husband. There’s no mark on my career.” He hinted at family troubles but offered no details.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara stayed tight-lipped, saying, “It’s a DRI probe. We’ll wait for their report.” Meanwhile, posts on X speculate about political links, with some calling it a “VIP smuggling ring.” The DRI hasn’t named the politician but is digging into payment trails.
Ranya, known for her role in the 2014 film Maanikya, now faces a widening investigation. This bust, following her arrest, underscores Bengaluru’s role as a smuggling hub—last year, KIA saw 47 gold seizures worth Rs 32 crore. For now, all eyes are on the DRI’s next move.
