Wed Mar 12 08:21:00 UTC 2025: ## Kannada Actress Ranya Rao Denied Sleep, Claims Abuse During Gold Smuggling Arrest

**Bengaluru, India –** Kannada actress Ranya Rao, arrested last week for smuggling over 14 kilograms of gold into India, alleges she was denied sleep and verbally abused during her detention. Rao, whose stepfather is a senior Karnataka police official, made the claims Wednesday during a bail hearing in a special economic offences court.

Her lawyer, Kiran Javali, argued that Rao was issued three summons for questioning between the evening of March 3rd and 7 am on March 4th, preventing her from resting. This follows Monday’s claim of verbal torture and threats, supported by photos showing swollen eyes and facial bruises. While the arrest memo noted pre-existing injuries under her eyes, Rao described herself as “traumatized and emotionally broken.”

Javali further asserted that Rao’s rights were not explained upon arrest, citing multiple protocol violations by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He argued that her statement was involuntary and therefore inadmissible, highlighting the absence of a DRI arrest declaration. He also claimed a violation of Section 102 of the Customs Act, mandating immediate magistrate appearance upon request. The lawyer questioned why bail wasn’t granted given court precedents granting bail to women in murder cases, arguing the punishment for this crime is less severe.

Rao, who arrived from Dubai with gold bars worth approximately Rs 14.56 crore (approximately $1.77 million USD), had her home searched, revealing an additional Rs 2 crore (approximately $243,000 USD) worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore (approximately $325,000 USD) in cash. Authorities suspect her involvement in a smuggling network, allegedly receiving commissions of up to Rs 5 lakh (approximately $6,080 USD) per kilogram. Her frequent trips to Dubai – four times in 15 days and 27 times in the past year – raised suspicion.

Her stepfather, Ramachandra Rao, a senior police official, has denied any involvement and expressed shock at the arrest, stating he had limited contact with Rao since her marriage four months prior. Despite this, the Karnataka government has launched a separate inquiry into his conduct. The court is yet to rule on Rao’s bail application.

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