Tue Mar 04 17:08:05 UTC 2025: ## Kannada Actress Arrested for Gold Smuggling

**Bengaluru, March 4, 2025** – Kannada film actress Ranya Rao, 33, was arrested on Sunday evening at Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle 14.8 kg of gold, valued at over ₹12 crore, from Dubai. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended Rao, who reportedly bypassed security checks with the assistance of an airport constable.

Rao, the stepdaughter of a senior Karnataka police officer, K. Ramachandra Rao, had allegedly concealed the gold in her clothing. She was produced before a Special Court for Economic Offences on Monday and remanded in police custody for 14 days.

Sources indicate Rao’s frequent trips to Dubai, coupled with her avoidance of security screenings, raised suspicions. The DRI is investigating the source of the gold, the method of payment, and potential links to hawala transactions. A search of Rao’s Bengaluru residence was conducted on Monday.

Rao claims she was blackmailed into acting as a gold mule, a claim the DRI is currently verifying. The investigation will also involve the Enforcement Directorate due to suspicions of illegal financial transactions. The constable who allegedly assisted Rao was detained, questioned, and released.

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