BENGALURU: Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad has called for a thorough investigation into the arrest of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was allegedly caught smuggling gold at Bengaluru airport on Monday night.
Arshad emphasized that the law should be applied equally to everyone, regardless of their background, stating that whether a person is the daughter of an IPS officer or a common citizen, the law remains the same for all.

“A serious investigation should be done. Irrespective of the background, whether it is an IPS officer’s daughter or a common man’s daughter, the law should be applied equally on everyone,” Arshad stated, commenting on the controversy.
Actress Ranya Rao caught with 14kg of gold
Ranya Rao, daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Monday night for allegedly smuggling gold.
The 32-year-old actress, who arrived from Dubai, was found carrying 14kg of gold bars hidden in a belt strapped to her body, along with 800 grams of gold ornaments. She was produced before a magistrate on Tuesday and has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
Officials believe she is part of a smuggling syndicate that has been operating through Bengaluru airport in recent months.
Sources revealed that Ranya had been under DRI surveillance due to her frequent international travel. She had reportedly made over 10 trips this year, raising suspicions among officials.
“Officials noticed her multiple short-duration visits to the Gulf, which seemed unusual,” said an officer stationed at KIA.
Based on this pattern, the DRI set up an interception team on Monday. “She looked extremely confident as she disembarked, showing no signs of nervousness. But when searched, officers were shocked to find gold bars cleverly concealed in a belt,” a source said.
During the investigation, DRI officials searched the suspect’s residence on Lavelle road, Bengaluru, where she lives with her spouse. The operation led to the discovery and confiscation of gold ornaments valued at Rs 2.06 crore, alongside Indian currency totalling Rs 2.67 crore.