How Kannada movie celeb Ranya Rao was captured contraband gold from Dubai- Economy Junction

An extravagant film job, fixed Dubai journeys, and a supposed contraband process value crores–Kannada starlet Ranya Rao’s important apprehension at Bengaluru airport terminal has truly at present made headings.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) collared the starlet on Monday as she purportedly tried to smuggle 14.8 kilogrammes of gold proper into India, a haul valued at nearly Rs 13 crore.

But this had not been a one-off occasion.

Authorities had truly been monitoring her actions for a while, observing her duplicated touring sample and her computed efforts to bypass customizeds with every journey from the UAE. This time, however, when Rao was one motion removed from eliminating security, DRI captured her brazenly, and found what’s described to be probably the most important seizure of gold on the Bengaluru airport terminal.

Notably, Rao is the stepdaughter of Ok Ramachandra Rao, an aged IPS police officer from Karnataka, that’s presently working as Director-General of Police (DGP) at Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.

So, what resulted in her apprehension? How did authorities uncover the contraband process? Here’s what we perceive to date.

Four Dubai journeys in 15 days

According to India Today, Rao had truly been beneath safety for reasonably time because of her fixed journeys to the UAE along with her associate, Jatin, no matter having no clear firm or family connections there.

Sources disclosed that Rao had truly taken a visit to Dubai 4 instances inside a interval of merely 15 days, a sample that immediately elevated warnings for authorities.

Each time she went again to Bengaluru, she was seen utilizing a visual amount of gold jewellery. Adding to the uncertainty, she was noticed utilizing the exact same assortment of clothes on every journey.

Acting on a secret data, DRI authorities obstructed Rao upon her arrival from Dubai to Bengaluru via an Emirates journey on March 3, 2025. As per DRI procedures, vacationers that make fixed journeys to sure areas endure full checks.

During the inspecting process, detectives discovered that she had truly tried to smuggle gold through the use of an enormous amount of it and hiding gold bars inside her attire.

A Times of India document, mentioning sources, defined precisely how cops had been “shocked to find gold bars cleverly concealed in a belt.”

“Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kilogrammes were found ingeniously concealed on person. The contraband, valued at Rs 12.56 crore, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,” the DRI talked about.

Following her apprehension, Rao was required to the DRI head workplace in Bengaluru’s HBR Layout for doubting.

The examination actually didn’t give up there. DRI authorities appeared her dwelling on Lavelle Road, the place she coped along with her associate.

“Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residential premises located at Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, where she resides with her husband. The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore,” the agency talked about.

Frequent journeys to Dubai, Smuggling of gold, 4.5 lakh/month home, Jewellery value 2.06 crore and money cash amounting 2.67 crore confiscated. #RanyaRao pic.twitter.com/w5MZzc0ooc

— Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan_Pinky) March 5, 2025

With the whole value of the taken properties standing at Rs 17.29 crore, the breast dealt a substantial affect to organized gold contraband networks, authorities included.

Rao was in the end scheduled beneath the suitable preparations of the Customs Act, 1962 and existed previous to a monetary offenses court docket. She was remanded to 2 week of judicial custodianship.

Also learn:
Who is Ranya Rao, the Kannada starlet captured contraband gold bars in her belt?

Bypassed customizeds checks every time

During examination earlier than her apprehension, authorities noticed that Rao apparently took care of to bypass rigorous customizeds checks. Each time she returned from Dubai, she had an authorities companion that aided her browse earlier airport terminal security.

Even on the day of her apprehension, Rao apparently tried to forestall security testing with the help of an authorities constable, acknowledged as Basavaraju, that accompanied her, India Today reported.

Following her apprehension, authorities likewise took constable Basavaraju proper into custodianship and tape-recorded his declaration regarding his claimed perform in aiding Rao on the airport terminal.

During doubting, Rao declared that she had truly been blackmailed proper into contraband gold. Investigators are at present penetrating whether or not she was performing alone or if she belonged to a much bigger contraband community operating in between Dubai and India.

Meanwhile, her dad has truly distanced himself from her actions. He disclosed that Rao had truly not touched with the family contemplating that her conjugal relationship to Jatin Hukkeri 4 months again. Hukkeri, a designer, is known for making golf equipment and microbreweries.

Expressing his shock and dissatisfaction, he knowledgeable The Times of India, “She has let us down. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course.”

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara decreased to debate the priority, claiming the scenario was beneath examination.

“We are investigating the case. But unless and until they come out with definite information, we cannot say anything. I don’t know anything. I am simply speculating. If it was police work; we would have gotten information, all this has to be found out and then I can come and say. Internally, yes, from the department I can definitely get some information,” he was priced quote as claiming by India Today.

Who is Ranya Rao?

Originally from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya Rao is a outstanding starlet.

She went after design at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru prior to creating her means proper into the film sector.

She made her performing launching in 2014 with the Kannada film Maanikya, routed bySudeep In the film, she performed a well-off woman and the lead character’s love ardour. According to Mint, the 33-year-old landed the sustaining perform after her mother and well-wishers shared her profile with casting planners.

Ranya in a while confirmed up in numerous different South Indian films, consisting of the 2015 Tamil movie Wagah and the 2017 Kannada humorous Pataki.

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