Fresh trouble for Ranya Rao? CBI files FIR against gangs smuggling gold into India

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against smugglers bringing gold into India from abroad through various airports, officials told news agency PTI on Saturday. The move comes amid the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao.

According to the report, the CBI is working in close coordination with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which recently arrested Kannada actor Ranya Rao with 14.2 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

Two CBI teams have already reached Mumbai and Bengaluru airports to collect the necessary information, the officials were quoted as saying.

Ranya Rao gold smuggling case

Kannada actress Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 by DRI officials. According to DRI officials, gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore were seized from the 34-year-old actress at the Bengaluru airport.

Subsequent searches at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore. Officials claimed that the 14.2 kg haul is one of the largest gold seizures at Bengaluru airport in recent times.

The total seizure in the case stood at ₹17.29 crore, including assets worth ₹4.73 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks.

She reportedly confessed to the recovery of 17 gold bars from her possession, sources in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on Friday.

On Friday, a special court for economic offences granted the DRI three days’ custody of the actress, who was detained at Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai.

According to officials, she disclosed that she had travelled to Europe, America, and the Middle East, including Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Investigators revealed that Ranya (identified in her passport as Harshavardini Ranya) had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last six months, raising concerns about the purpose of these frequent visits.

(With inputs from agencies)