Kannada actress Ranya Rao part of smuggling network: Probe reveals
The probe has revealed that Ranya Rao was smuggling gold at the behest of kingpins, and the international gang's nexus ran deep
Bengaluru: The investigation into the arrest of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, the daughter of a serving IPS officer, revealed that she was a part of the gold smuggling network and took hefty commissions to smuggle goods from Dubai to Bengaluru.
The probe has revealed that Ranya Rao was smuggling gold at the behest of kingpins, and the international gang’s nexus ran deep. Sources stated that the actress was not rich enough to make a purchase of Rs 17.29 crore worth of gold. The officers found that the actress received Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh commission to smuggle one kilogram of gold from Dubai to Bengaluru.
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The kingpins lured her into the gold smuggling, knowing well that she is the daughter of a serving IPS officer and taking advantage of the fact they could carry out the gold smuggling. The officers suspect the involvement of staffers at the Bengaluru International Airport, sources said. The probe is now focused towards finding out to whom Ranya Rao handed over the gold. The officers are gathering data from the bank accounts of Ranya Rao and analysing transactions of the last two years. Her mobile phone was seized, and information was gathered from the device to get clues about the network.
Meanwhile, sources further stated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is most likely to take up the case following the seizure of a huge quantity of gold and cash from Ranya Rao at the airport and her residence. The DRI sleuths were sharing the information on the seizure of Rs 2.67 crore alleged unaccounted cash from her residence with the ED.
Sources state that she might also face charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Sources said that Ranya Rao had not cooperated with the security checks at the airport and threatened the officers, saying that she was the daughter of the DGP. The officers got suspicious of her, and DRI was activated to track her movements.
Meanwhile, the police personnel who allegedly escorted her from the airport have also come under the scanner. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials arrested the Kannada film actress after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at the Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night. The actress was taken into custody at the airport after her arrival on an Emirates flight from Dubai. The officers from the DRI had been monitoring her movements following her frequent trips to Dubai.
