Actor Ranya Rao's stepfather DGP K Ramachandra Rao was involved in ‘ ₹2.07 crore hawala case’ before?

Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case: Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao, the stepfather of Kannada actor Ranya Rao implicated for smuggling gold, had famously declared on Wednesday that there is “no black mark on my career”. However, he himself is no stranger to controversies. Reports suggested that Ramachandra Rao, during his tenure as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Southern Range, Mysuru, became embroiled in a major hawala scandal.

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On Wednesday, while talking to media agency ANI, Karnataka DGP Ramachandra Rao had said, “The law will do its job. There is no black mark on my career.” He maintained that he had no prior knowledge of Ranya's alleged involvement in smuggling activities and came to know about the arrest only through media reports.

“I was also shocked and devastated when such an incident came to my notice through the media; I was not aware of any of these things, and like any other father, I was also shocked. She is not living with us, she is living separately with her husband, there must be some problem between them due to some family issues,” he added.

Ramachandra Rao said that his stepdaughter had gotten married four months ago.

Ramachandra Rao was Named in Hawala Case?

According to a report by India Today, in 2014, while serving as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the Southern Range, Mysuru, Ramachandra Rao was embroiled in a major hawala scandal.

The Mysuru Police had intercepted a bus carrying hawala money and seized ₹20 lakh. However, a Kerala-based businessman later accused the police of pocketing additional money.

The businessman filed a case alleging that ₹2.07 crore had been looted from a bus heading to Kerala in the Yelwal area of Mysuru.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) took over the case, and investigations led to the arrest of police informants and even Ramachandra Rao's personal gunman.

As a result, Ramachandra Rao was removed from his post as IGP of the Southern Range, Mysuru and reassigned to headquarters.

Two years later, Ramachandra Rao found himself in hot water again.

The CID questioned him and one more senior IPS officer regarding the deaths of gangsters Dharmaraj and Gangadhar Chadachana in connection with an alleged fake encounter. Ramamchandra Rao maintained that he had no knowledge of the case when questioned by the CID.

Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case: Politician Involved?

Kannada actress Ranya Rao was taken into custody at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on Tuesday night after Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials allegedly found 14.8 kilograms of gold in her possession.

The gold smuggling case is now sparking political ripples, as the latest reports suggest the involvement of a “prominent politician".

A report in Times of India quoted sources as saying, “The investigation has now expanded to a jewellery boutique in Bengaluru’s central business district, where the seized ornaments were allegedly procured."

The person was further quoted as saying, “Preliminary findings suggest they were purchased on behalf of a prominent politician, and officials are now tracing the payment routes."