4 visits in 15 days, similar garments: How Kannada film star Ranya Rao was caught smuggling gold from Dubai

A glamorous movie profession, frequent Dubai journeys, and an alleged smuggling operation price crores—Kannada actress Ranya Rao’s dramatic arrest at Bengaluru airport has already made headlines.

The Directorate of Income Intelligence (DRI) apprehended the actress on Monday as she allegedly tried to smuggle 14.8 kilogrammes of gold into India, a haul valued at practically Rs 13 crore.

However this wasn’t a one-off incident.

Authorities had been monitoring her actions for some time, noticing her repeated journey sample and her calculated makes an attempt to bypass customs with every journey from the UAE. This time, nonetheless, when Rao was one step away from clearing safety, DRI caught her red-handed, and uncovered what’s termed to be the largest seizure of gold on the Bengaluru airport.

Notably, Rao is the stepdaughter of Okay Ramachandra Rao, a senior IPS officer from Karnataka, who’s at present serving as Director-Common of Police (DGP) at Karnataka State Police Housing Company.

So, what led to her arrest? How did authorities uncover the smuggling operation? Right here’s what we all know to date.

4 Dubai journeys in 15 days

In accordance with India At present, Rao had been below surveillance for fairly a while as a consequence of her frequent journeys to the UAE together with her husband, Jatin, regardless of having no clear enterprise or household ties there.

Sources revealed that Rao had travelled to Dubai 4 instances inside a span of simply 15 days, a sample that instantly raised pink flags for authorities.

Every time she returned to Bengaluru, she was seen carrying a noticeable quantity of gold jewelry. Including to the suspicion, she was noticed carrying the identical set of garments on every journey.

Performing on a tip-off, DRI officers intercepted Rao upon her arrival from Dubai to Bengaluru by way of an Emirates flight on March 3, 2025. As per DRI protocols, passengers who make frequent journeys to particular areas are subjected to thorough checks.

In the course of the frisking course of, investigators found that she had tried to smuggle gold by carrying a considerable amount of it and concealing gold bars inside her clothes.

A Instances of India report, citing sources, described how officers had been “shocked to seek out gold bars cleverly hid in a belt.”

“Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kilogrammes had been discovered ingeniously hid on particular person. The contraband, valued at Rs 12.56 crore, was seized below the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,” the DRI acknowledged.

Following her arrest, Rao was taken to the DRI headquarters in Bengaluru’s HBR Format for questioning.

The investigation didn’t cease there. DRI officers searched her residence on Lavelle Street, the place she lived together with her husband.

“Following the interception, DRI officers carried out a search at her residential premises positioned at Lavelle Street, Bengaluru, the place she resides together with her husband. The search resulted within the seizure of gold jewelry price Rs 2.06 crore and Indian forex amounting to Rs 2.67 crore,” the company acknowledged.

Frequent journeys to Dubai, Smuggling of gold, 4.5 lakh/month condominium, Jewelry price 2.06 crore and money amounting 2.67 crore seized. #RanyaRao pic.twitter.com/w5MZzc0ooc

— Pinky Rajpurohit 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) March 5, 2025

With the whole worth of the seized belongings standing at Rs 17.29 crore, the bust dealt a major blow to organised gold smuggling networks, officers added.

Rao was subsequently booked below the related provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and was offered earlier than an financial offences court docket. She was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

Additionally learn:
Who’s Ranya Rao, the Kannada actress caught smuggling gold bars in her belt?

Bypassed customs checks every time

Throughout investigation previous to her arrest, authorities observed that Rao reportedly managed to bypass stringent customs checks. Every time she returned from Dubai, she had a police escort who helped her navigate previous airport safety.

Even on the day of her arrest, Rao reportedly tried to keep away from safety screening with the assistance of a police constable, recognized as Basavaraju, who accompanied her, India At present reported.

Following her detention, authorities additionally took constable Basavaraju into custody and recorded his assertion concerning his alleged function in helping Rao on the airport.

Throughout questioning, Rao claimed that she had been blackmailed into smuggling gold. Investigators are actually probing whether or not she was appearing alone or if she was half of a bigger smuggling community working between Dubai and India.

In the meantime, her father has distanced himself from her actions. He revealed that Rao had not been in touch with the household since her marriage to Jatin Hukkeri 4 months in the past. Hukkeri, an architect, is understood for designing pubs and microbreweries.

Expressing his shock and disappointment, he instructed The Instances of India, “She has allow us to down. If she has carried out something unsuitable, the regulation will take its course.”

Karnataka Dwelling Minister G Parameshwara declined to touch upon the difficulty, saying the case was below investigation.

“We’re investigating the case. However until and till they arrive out with particular data, we can not say something. I don’t know something. I’m merely speculating. If it was police work; we’d have gotten data, all this must be came upon after which I can come and say. Internally, sure, from the division I can positively get some data,” he was quoted as saying by India At present.

Who’s Ranya Rao?

Initially from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya Rao is a well-liked actress.

She pursued engineering at Dayananda Sagar Faculty of Engineering in Bengaluru earlier than making her means into the movie trade.

She made her appearing debut in 2014 with the Kannada movie Maanikya, directed by Sudeep. Within the movie, she performed a rich younger girl and the protagonist’s love curiosity. In accordance with Mint, the 33-year-old landed the supporting function after her mom and well-wishers shared her portfolio with casting coordinators.

Ranya later appeared in different South Indian movies, together with the 2015 Tamil film Wagah and the 2017 Kannada comedy Pataki.

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