Kannada actress Ranya Rao, daughter of Director General of Police (Police Housing Corporation) K. Ramachandra Rao, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. She was apprehended while attempting to smuggle approximately 14.8 kilograms of gold, valued at over ₹12 crore, concealed within her clothing.

Ranya Rao, 32, has appeared in several Kannada films, including “Manikya” alongside Sudeep and “Pataki” with Ganesh, as well as the Tamil film “Wagah” featuring Vikram Prabhu. Her frequent international travels, particularly over 10 trips to Dubai since the beginning of this year, had drawn the attention of DRI officials.

Upon her arrival from Dubai on an Emirates flight, DRI officials intercepted her based on prior surveillance. A search revealed gold bars and approximately 800 grams of gold jewelry concealed within a specially designed belt and jacket. Subsequently, she was presented before a special court for economic offenses on March 4 and was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

Investigations have uncovered that Ranya Rao allegedly received ₹1 lakh for each kilogram of gold smuggled. This suggests that for the 14 kilograms she attempted to smuggle, she stood to earn around ₹14 lakh. Notably, in the past year, she reportedly made approximately 30 trips to Dubai, including four trips in the last 15 days, raising suspicions about her involvement in a larger smuggling syndicate operating through Bengaluru airport.

Her father, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, has distanced himself from his daughter’s activities, stating that since her marriage to architect Jatin Hukkeri four months ago, they have had limited contact and are unaware of her business dealings. He expressed shock and disappointment over the incident, emphasizing that the law will take its course if any violations have occurred.

DRI officials are now scrutinizing her recent travel history and examining surveillance footage to determine the extent of her involvement in the smuggling operations and to identify any accomplices within the syndicate.