Wed Mar 12 08:21:44 UTC 2025: ## Kannada Actress Ranya Rao Denies Sleep, Alleges Torture in Gold Smuggling Case

**Bengaluru, India** – Kannada film actress Ranya Rao, arrested last week for allegedly smuggling over 14 kilograms of gold into India, is claiming she was denied sleep and verbally tortured while in custody. Rao’s lawyer, Kiran Javali, argued before a special economic offences court on Wednesday that his client was issued three summons for questioning between the evening of March 3rd and 7 am on March 4th, preventing her from resting.

These allegations follow Rao’s Monday statement, where she tearfully claimed verbal abuse and threats, citing visible injuries as evidence. While an arrest memo noted pre-existing marks under her eyes, Rao maintains she was traumatized by her treatment.

Javali further argued that Rao was not informed of her rights upon arrest, citing multiple protocol violations by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He claimed her statement was involuntary and inadmissible due to a missing “arrest declaration,” and that the DRI violated Section 102 of the Customs Act by not immediately producing her before a magistrate upon request.

The lawyer also questioned the denial of bail, arguing that courts often grant bail in murder cases to female accused, questioning why this should be different given the lesser potential punishment for gold smuggling.

Rao, the stepdaughter of a senior Karnataka police official, Ramachandra Rao, was apprehended at Bengaluru airport on March 3rd upon arrival from Dubai with gold bars worth approximately Rs 14.56 crore (approximately $1.77 million USD). Further searches of her residence yielded an additional Rs 2 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash.

Authorities believe Rao was part of a smuggling network, allegedly earning commissions of up to Rs 5 lakh per kilogram of smuggled gold. Her frequent trips to Dubai – four times in 15 days and 27 times in the past year – raised suspicion.

Rao’s stepfather, while denying any involvement, stated he had limited contact with her since her marriage four months prior and was unaware of her husband’s business dealings. Despite this, the Karnataka government has launched a separate inquiry into his conduct. The case continues.

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