Kannada actor Ranya Rao has admitted to using illegal hawala channels to transfer funds for purchasing gold, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) informed a court on Tuesday.
Her arrest earlier this month was linked to a gold smuggling case, prompting further investigations into her financial dealings. DRI advocate Madhu Rao stated that the accused confessed to conducting financial transactions through unofficial channels, leading authorities to issue a notice under Section 108 of the Customs Act for a judicial inquiry.
The proceedings fall under a judicial probe rather than a police investigation, as mandated by the invoked section. Officials are currently assessing the extent of financial irregularities and possible legal violations related to the case.
Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of Karnataka IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, was apprehended at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after DRI officials discovered gold bars hidden in her jacket. Authorities seized 14.2 kilograms of gold from her possession, valued at approximately ₹12.56 crore.
Subsequent raids at her residence led to the recovery of additional cash and gold jewelry worth ₹4.73 crore, bringing the total seized amount to ₹17.29 crore. Following her arrest, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by DRI Additional Director Abhishek Chandra Gupta.
The FIR includes charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988 and multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS).
The case gained further significance when two foreign nationals were arrested at Mumbai Airport on March 6 for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India, with an estimated value of ₹18.92 crore.
The DRI complaint suggested that passengers traveling from Dubai were part of a well-coordinated smuggling syndicate, possibly based in the UAE.
Authorities are investigating a potential nexus involving public servants and other individuals linked to the smuggling network. The probe remains ongoing.
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