NEW DELHI: As investigations into Kannada actress Ranya Rao’s gold smuggling case intensify, an old controversy involving her father, Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao, has resurfaced. In 2014, while serving as IGP (Southern Range), Rao was embroiled in a case where a Kerala-based jeweler accused Mysuru police of misappropriating Rs 2 crore seized from a private bus. The case was later handed over to the CID, which arrested his gunman for dacoity.
With multiple agencies now scrutinising Ranya’s alleged role in the smuggling racket, investigators are trying to establish her level of involvement and any connections to organized networks.
Ranya, who was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with 14.2 kg of smuggled gold, was remanded to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday. Officials revealed that she had been on surveillance due to frequent short trips to the Gulf, making over 10 visits this year. “During her last four trips, she followed a specific pattern, wearing clothes that allowed her to hide the gold belt,” an official at KIA said.
The probe has now extended to a high-end jewellery boutique in Bengaluru’s central business district, where officials believe the seized designer ornaments were sourced. Initial findings suggest the jewellery was purchased for a prominent politician, and authorities are now tracing the financial transactions linked to the purchase.
Amid rising political pressure, several Congress MLAs have called for a thorough investigation, while Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has sought a detailed report from the police regarding the smuggling operation.