Kannada Actress Ranya Rao held for Smuggling Gold worth Rs.12.56 Crore at Bengaluru Airport:

Kannada Actress Ranya Rao held for Smuggling Gold worth Rs.12.56 Crore at Bengaluru Airport Ranya Rao, a Kannada actress, was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru for attempting to illegally bring in 14.2 kilogrammes of gold valued Rs.12.56 crore. The actress was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after she arrived from Dubai, where she was allegedly involved in an extensive gold smuggling racket. Officials revealed that the gold was meticulously concealed on her person in an attempt to avoid customs checks. However, following a tip-off, the DRI detained Ranya Rao and conducted a thorough search, leading to the discovery of the contraband. The seizure was part of a larger attempt to combat gold smuggling networks operating between the Middle East and India. Following her arrest, authorities raided her apartment on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru, recovering additional gold jewellery worth Rs.2.06 crore and Rs.2.67 crore in cash. The total worth of assets seized from the actress is now Rs. 17.29 crore. Investigators discovered that Ranya Rao, 33, had visited Dubai roughly 30 times in the previous year, raising concerns about her possible involvement in a broader smuggling operation. According to reports, she earned Rs.12 lakh per trip by carrying illegal gold into the nation. Ranya, a well-known Kannada film actress, made her debut in the 2017 film Mass Leader and has since acted in Saavi and Kaal KG Preethi. Her frequent recent overseas visits drew the attention of law enforcement, who were tracking her movements prior to her arrest. Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who is the chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd., which adds to the case's complexity. While authorities are looking into whether her family connections played a part in concealing her activities, no links have been revealed thus far. Ranya Rao was detained under multiple provisions of the Customs Act of 1962 and has been sent to judicial custody. Authorities are now attempting to track down her associates and uncover the entire scope of the smuggling network.