Ranya Rao Arrest: Reports suggested that the actress used to easily evade checks as she’s the daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao.
Actress Ranya Rao was arrested for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai. (Photo: X)
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Monday night, “cleverly concealed 14 gold bars in her belt” along with 800g of gold ornaments. Reports suggested that she used to easily evade checks as she’s the daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao.
The 32-year-old actress’ arrest by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in an alleged gold smuggling case has left her fans in shock. Ranya has acted in a handful of Kannada and Tamil films, including Maanikya (starring Sudeep), Pataki (with Ganesh), and Wagah (featuring Vikram Prabhu).
Here Are Top 5 Case Details You Need To Know
• Frequent International Trips: Ranya Rao reportedly made over 10 international trips this year, putting her under DRI’s scanner. “Officials became suspicious after noticing her multiple short-duration visits to the Gulf,” an officer stationed at KIA was quoted by Times of India.
• Belt Hidden From View In All Trips: TOI report quoted a source as saying, “Ranya Rao looked extremely confident as she disembarked, showing no signs of nervousness. But when searched, officers were shocked to find gold bars cleverly concealed in a belt.” The source added, “In her last four trips over the past 15 days, she wore similar attire, with the belt hidden from view.”
• Special Protocol That Helped Ranya: According to the report, Ranya Rao managed to bypass frisking by taking advantage of official protocol services meant for senior bureaucrats, including IPS officers. “A protocol officer would meet her at the terminal and escort her out, ensuring she wasn’t subjected to physical screening. She would be picked up in a government vehicle, avoiding scrutiny,” TOI quoted its source.
• Judicial Custody: A court remanded Ranya Rao to 14-day judicial custody.
• Past Controversies: There are reports suggesting Ranya’s father K Ramachandra Rao was embroiled in controversies too. In 2014, when he was IGP (Southern Range), Mysuru police faced allegations of misappropriation after a Kerala jeweller accused them of seizing Rs 2 crore in cash. The official recording, however, claimed that only Rs 20 lakh was taken. The case was later investigated by the CID, leading to the arrest of Rao’s gunman on charges of dacoity.
