The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out a raid at a medical college in Tumakuru that is linked to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, as part of its investigation into the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case. The institution under scrutiny is the Sri Siddartha Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, where Parameshwara is listed as the Chairman.
The ED conducted the raid on Wednesday after tracing a money laundering trail connected to the smuggling case involving Kannada actor Ranya Rao. The central agency’s investigation pointed toward a possible financial link between Ranya Rao and the medical institution associated with Parameshwara.
At the time of the raid, the Karnataka Home Minister was not present at his residence and was reportedly holding meetings with close associates at an undisclosed location.
According to sources, the ED has been examining the financial records of the institute as part of its efforts to trace the origin and destination of the funds suspected to be linked to the smuggling operation. The agency's probe intensified after uncovering a monetary trail between the actor and the medical college.
Also Read: Gold smuggling case: Karnataka HC denies bail to Ranya Rao
Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Bengaluru airport by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) while attempting to smuggle gold. Since her arrest, a number of unverified reports have surfaced linking her to several political figures, including both current and former ministers. A photo showing Ranya Rao’s wedding ceremony, attended by G Parameshwara and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has been widely circulated, prompting the BJP to accuse the ruling Congress of having ties to the smuggling network.
However, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed these reports, describing them as “political gossip.”
Meanwhile, the DRI reportedly recovered a list of contact numbers from Ranya Rao’s phone, including those of various politicians and police officials. Investigators are currently analysing her call records and other digital data to determine if she was part of a broader organised network.
On Tuesday, both Ranya Rao and co-accused Tarun Raju were granted bail after the DRI failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated time. However, Ranya Rao remained in custody as she is also facing charges under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), a more stringent law. The ED’s investigation continues as authorities explore deeper financial connections and potential political links in what is shaping up to be a high-profile smuggling and money laundering case.
Also Read: Ranya Rao gets bail in gold smuggling case
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