Karnataka DGP's stepdaughter and Kannada actress arrested with 15 kg of gold
- EP News Service
- Mar 06, 2025
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao arrested for smuggling gold
BENGALURU: Kannada film actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold worth over Rs 12 crore from Dubai by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which, acting on a tip-off, apprehended her upon arrival from an Emirates flight on Monday night. Apparently, Ranya had been under DRI surveillance due to her frequent international trips.
When she was apprehended and searched, DRI officials found nearly 14 gold bars, each weighing 1 kg, allegedly strapped to her thighs with tape and crepe bandages, and she had worn pants on top of them to conceal the contraband. Some reports also allege that she was wearing a jacket with special sections to conceal the gold bars.
Ranya was taken to the DRI headquarters in Bengaluru for further interrogation and was later produced before a Bengaluru court, which sent her to 14-day judicial custody.
Ranya, who has worked in Kannada movies like Maanikya and Pataki, was arrested along with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri (married in November 2024), who is an architect, and her stepfather, Ramachandra Rao, the Director General of Police (DGP) for the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.
During her trips when she smuggled gold bars, Ranya would usually use VIP channels to exit the airports to evade any strict customs checks and would call local police personnel to escort her home from the airport. DRI and the police are now trying to establish if anyone other than Ranya had any role in the smuggling racket.
According to media reports, DGP Rao has expressed shock at learning about Ranya's arrest through the media and has said that he was not aware of her illegal activities and that he never had a black mark on his career.
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