Bengaluru: Karnataka high court on Tuesday ordered issuance of notice to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Airports Authority of India, and the central govt over a petition filed by the mother of actress Ranya Rao, arraigned as accused no.1 in a gold smuggling case. Justice M Nagaprasanna adjourned the hearing to Wednesday.
In her petition, Rohini HP sought a direction to the authorities at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) to preserve the CCTV footage related to her daughter’s case. According to the petitioner, as per the prevailing practice, CCTV footage/data gets automatically deleted after 30 days, and hence the court needs to intervene in the matter.
Ranya was intercepted and apprehended around 6.30pm on March 3, 2025, following credible information that she was carrying smuggled gold. Thereafter, the authorities recovered 14kg of gold worth Rs 12.5 crore wrapped around her waist and calf muscles with the help of crepe bandage and tissues.
Bail petition
In a related development, Ranya has moved the HC for bail. The petition is likely to come up later this week or early next week, after scrutiny.
On March 27, the sessions court rejected her bail petition. Prior to that, on March 14, the special court for economic offences, Bengaluru, had also refused her bail.