Hid gold bars inside belt, travelled frequently to Dubai wearing same dress; actress Ranya Rao says she was blackmailed into smuggling gold

BENGALURU: Kannada actress Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold at the airport, has reportedly provided further details to investigators. According to sources, the 32-year-old actress claimed she was blackmailed into smuggling gold. Ranya was caught attempting to smuggle approximately 14 kilograms of gold bars hidden in her belt, along with 800 grams of jewelry. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended her at the airport.

Ranya is currently in judicial custody for a 14-day period. Investigations revealed that she had traveled to the Gulf over ten times since January, raising suspicions with the DRI. During a raid on her residence, authorities uncovered Rs 2.67 crore in cash and Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold. It was also discovered that she was living in a property with a rent exceeding Rs 4 lakh.

Ranya’s father, Ramachandra Rao, is a senior IPS officer and the Director General of the Police Housing Corporation in Karnataka. Due to his high-ranking position, Ranya reportedly utilized his protocol privileges to bypass airport security. Additionally, a driver named Basavaraju was found to have assisted her in leaving the airport in a government vehicle.

Ranya was detained by the DRI on Monday after she arrived at the airport on an Emirates flight from Dubai. Authorities grew suspicious due to her frequent travels to Dubai, including four trips in the last 15 days, where she was seen wearing the same outfit each time. Ramachandra Rao has yet to comment on his daughter’s arrest, mentioning only that Ranya had not visited home since her marriage four months ago.