Kannada actress Ranya Rao was detained at Bengaluru Airport for carrying 14.8 kg of gold. She was remanded for 14 days. Her stepfather, DGP K Ramachandra Rao, distanced himself.
Ranya Rao was arrested from the Kempagowda International Airport.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao was detained by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Bengaluru International Airport for allegedly carrying 14.8 kg of gold on March 3, 2025. Authorities confirmed that she was taken into custody and later presented before an economic offences court, which ordered a 14-day judicial remand. She is the stepdaughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. K Ramachandra Rao, who has chosen to distance himself from the situation.
DGP Rao told Times of India that he has no connection to his daughter’s activities. “She got married four months ago and hasn’t visited us since. We are unaware of her or her husband’s business dealings. This has come as a huge shock and disappointment. The law will take its course,” he said.
Acting on a tip-off about her suspected involvement in gold smuggling, DRI officials deployed a team at the airport in anticipation of her arrival.
Ranya Rao had arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight and had been under surveillance due to her frequent international travel. Investigators revealed that she allegedly smuggled the gold by wearing a significant portion of it and concealing gold bars in her clothing as well. Ranya had travelled to Dubai four times in 15 days, prompting authorities to conduct a targeted operation upon her return.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the actress may have tried to leverage her connections to evade customs checks. Authorities are also looking into whether she acted independently or was linked to a larger smuggling network operating between Dubai and India.
Ranya stepped into the film industry in 2014 with her debut in the Kannada movie Maanikya, directed by and starring Sudeep. She portrayed the role of Manasa, a wealthy young woman and the love interest of the protagonist.
Ranya Rao ventured beyond Kannada cinema in 2016, making her Tamil debut with Wagah, a romantic drama where she starred opposite Vikram Prabhu. In 2017, she returned to the Kannada film industry with Pataki, a comedy in which she played Sangeetha, a journalist and the love interest of Ganesh’s character.
