ranya-rao-gets-bail-in-gold-smuggling-case

Kannada film actor Ranya Rao was granted conditional bail on Tuesday by a special economic offences court in Bengaluru in connection with a gold smuggling case.

 

However, she will remain in judicial custody due to a separate case filed against her under the stringent COFEPOSA Act.

 

The court allowed Rao bail on the condition that she furnish two sureties and a personal bond of ₹2 lakh. Similar bail conditions were granted to Tarun Kondaraju, who is a co-accused in the same case.

 

Despite the bail order, the court made it clear that both accused are prohibited from travelling abroad and must not engage in any similar offences while the matter remains under investigation.

 

The legal counsel representing Ranya Rao, advocate B.S. Girish, stated in court that the bail would not lead to her immediate release, as she has been detained separately under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 — commonly known as COFEPOSA.

 

This act allows for preventive detention in cases involving serious economic offences such as smuggling and foreign exchange violations.

 

Rao’s detention under COFEPOSA has been challenged by her mother in the Karnataka High Court. The family argues that the preventive detention is unjust and should be quashed in light of the bail granted in the original smuggling case.

 

Ranya Rao, known for her roles in Kannada-language films, was arrested earlier this year after authorities linked her to an alleged smuggling racket involving a significant quantity of gold.

 

She has been in custody since her arrest, and her involvement in the network is still being examined by law enforcement agencies.

 

The COFEPOSA Act was enacted to ensure national economic security by allowing authorities to detain individuals suspected of being involved in activities such as smuggling without immediate prosecution. Detainees under COFEPOSA can be held for months without formal charges, depending on the assessment by the advisory board.

 

This legal development highlights the severity of the case and the government’s stance on curbing economic crimes. While the bail order reflects some relief for the accused, her continued detention under COFEPOSA indicates that authorities are treating the matter with utmost seriousness.