Who is Ranya Rao? Kannada Actor Arrested For Smuggling Gold Worth ₹12.56 Crore

Kannada film actor Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore from Dubai. Officials confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, March 4. Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who is currently serving as the Director General of Police (DGP) at the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.

Kannada Actor Arrested for Smuggling Gold Worth ₹12.56 Crore

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) acted on a tip-off and arrested Rao as soon as she landed in Bengaluru on an Emirates flight from Dubai. Following her arrest on Monday night, she was presented before an economic offences court, which sent her to 14 days of judicial custody.

According to DRI officials, Ranya Rao had been under surveillance due to her frequent international trips. She had reportedly travelled to Dubai four times within 15 days, raising suspicions of smuggling. A targeted operation was conducted upon her return to India, leading to her arrest.

How was the Gold Smuggled?

Investigators revealed that Rao hid gold bars inside her clothing and wore a large portion of the smuggled gold. Reports suggest that a significant amount of gold was concealed in her jacket. Officials suspect she may have used her connections to avoid customs checks.

Officials also alleged that Ranya Rao contacted local police personnel, possibly to arrange an escort from the airport.

DRI Raids Ranya Rao’s Residence

After her arrest, DRI officials searched her residence on Lavelle Road, where she lives with her husband. During the raid, they seized gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash.

The DRI stated that the 14.2 kg gold seizure is one of the largest at Bengaluru International Airport in recent times. Rao has been charged under the Customs Act, 1962, and remanded to judicial custody.

Who is Ranya Rao?

Ranya Rao is a Kannada film actor who made her debut in 2014. Here’s what you need to know about her:

• Hails from Chikamagaluru, Karnataka.
• Completed engineering from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bangalore.
• Debuted in 2014 with Maanikya, opposite Kannada superstar Sudeep. The film was a remake of the Telugu film Mirchi.
• Acted in the Tamil film Wagah (2016), opposite Vikram Prabhu, playing the role of a woman caught in riots and escorted back to Pakistan.
• Starred in the Kannada film Pataki (2017) as a journalist and love interest of actor Ganesh’s character.
• Claims to be the stepdaughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who serves as DGP of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.