Wed Mar 12 16:04:04 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka CID Withdraws from 14kg Gold Smuggling Probe After CBI Takeover

**Bengaluru, India** – The Karnataka state government has withdrawn the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) involvement in the investigation of a 14kg gold smuggling case, two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe. The CID had initially been tasked with investigating alleged protocol violations at Bengaluru International Airport surrounding the arrest of Ranya Rao, 33, on March 3rd.

Rao, who was caught with 14kg of gold concealed on her person, has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. Her lawyer alleges numerous protocol violations during her arrest, including a failure to inform her of her rights, and claims she was subjected to verbal torture during her initial 24 hours in police custody.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), also investigating the case, revealed today that a significant amount of money was transferred through hawala channels, suggesting a large smuggling syndicate was at work. The DRI alleges that Rao bypassed security and customs using the Green Channel with the assistance of a state protocol officer. Rao’s frequent international travel – 27 trips to Dubai and the US in the past six months – raised the DRI’s suspicions. A search of her home yielded gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore (approximately $250,000 USD) and ₹2.67 crore (approximately $320,000 USD) in cash. The CBI will now lead the investigation into the alleged smuggling operation and its connections.

Read More