Bengaluru, April 26, 2025
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Saturday that he has not yet received the report regarding the misuse of the police department’s protocol by jailed actress Ranya Rao in connection with the gold smuggling case.
Ranya Rao, who is currently lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison, is the stepdaughter of Director General of Police (DGP) K. Ramachandra Rao.
It is alleged that Ranya Rao was provided a police escort from the checking point to her residence after her arrival from foreign locations, especially from Dubai.
The state government had set up a special team led by a senior IAS officer in March to investigate the role of DGP Ramachandra Rao. The report in this regard has been submitted to the government.
When asked about action against the protocol officer for providing an escort to the accused Ranya Rao, Minister Parameshwara said that he has not yet received the report.
He added that the report has been submitted to the Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and the authorities will proceed based on the findings.
The Karnataka High Court on Saturday dismissed the bail plea of actress Ranya Rao in connection with the gold smuggling case.
The bail application of the second accused, Tarun Raju, was also rejected.
A bench, headed by Justice Savanur Vishwajith Shetty, passed the order in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), had been invoked against Rao.
Following the invocation of the COFEPOSA Act, Rao will have no chance to get bail for one year.
The other accused, Tarun Raju and Sahil Sakaria Jain, have also been booked under the COFEPOSA Act.
Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramchandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold, valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore.
The case is being investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Enforcement Directorate, and the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The investigations have found that with the help of Jain, Ranya Rao disposed of 49.6 kg of gold and transferred Rs 38.4 crore of hawala money to Dubai.
The DRI said, “The investigations have indicated that Jain, hailing from Ballari and settled in Bengaluru, assisted and abetted Ranya Rao in disposing of 49.6 kg of gold valued at around Rs 40 crore and transferring hawala money of Rs 38.4 crore to Dubai.”
The Karnataka government has placed jailed actress Ranya Rao’s father, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, on compulsory leave with immediate effect and until further notice in connection with a gold smuggling case.
DGP Rao was serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
The Karnataka government on March 11 ordered a probe against jailed actress Ranya Rao’s father DGP K. Ramachandra Rao in connection with the gold smuggling case.
The state government had sought a report within one week.(Agency)
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