Fri Mar 07 11:56:23 UTC 2025: ## Actress Arrested for Smuggling 14.2 kg of Gold at Bengaluru Airport
**Bengaluru, March 7, 2025** – Actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport on charges of smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai. A special court granted the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) three days’ custody to investigate the source of the gold and its intended recipients. The DRI suspects a potential link to anti-national activities.
The seized gold, valued at ₹12.56 crore (approximately $15 million USD), is one of the largest hauls at Bengaluru airport recently. Further searches of Rao’s residence yielded gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash, bringing the total seizure to ₹17.29 crore.
Rao, identified in her passport as Harshavardini Ranya, reportedly claimed to work as a freelancer in Dubai’s real estate sector. However, DRI investigations revealed she had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last six months. She allegedly utilized VIP channels at the airport, bypassing regular security checks.
The 34-year-old actress, who is the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, is also being investigated for potential past smuggling activities. The DRI is focusing its investigation on the source of the gold and the individuals or groups who intended to receive it.
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