Court Denies Bail to Kannada Actress Ranya Rao in Gold Smuggling Case
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Synopsis
A Bengaluru Sessions Court has denied the bail plea of Kannada actress Ranya Rao for the third time in connection with a gold smuggling case, involving substantial amounts of gold and serious allegations against her.
Key Takeaways
- Ranya Rao's bail plea has been rejected thrice.
- She was arrested for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold.
- Authorities are initiating a judicial inquiry into her financial dealings.
- Close associate Tarun Raju is also implicated in the case.
- Gold merchant Sahil Jain has been arrested for disposing of the smuggled gold.
Bengaluru, March 27 (NationPress) A Sessions Court in Bengaluru has denied the bail request of Kannada actress Ranya Rao regarding the gold smuggling case. This marks the third time her bail plea has been dismissed, following previous rejections by the Special Court for Economic Offences and the Magistrate Court.
Rao, the stepdaughter of senior police officer Ramchandra Rao, was apprehended on March 3 for allegedly trafficking 14.2 kilograms of gold, valued at over Rs 12.56 crore.
The prosecution has presented evidence in court indicating that the actress has confessed to utilizing hawala channels for purchasing the bullion.
Furthermore, authorities have issued a notice to commence a judicial inquiry against Ranya Rao, aimed at uncovering additional financial discrepancies.
Tarun Raju, a close associate of the actress, is the second accused in this case and is also awaiting a decision on his bail request.
In a related development, Sahil Sakariya Jain, a gold merchant, was arrested on Wednesday for his alleged role in disposing of the smuggled gold associated with Ranya Rao. This represents the third arrest linked to this case.
Jain has been remanded to police custody for four days to facilitate further investigations.
Previously, Counsel Madhu Rao, representing the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Special Economic Offences CourtTarun and Ranya have traveled together to Dubai approximately 26 times.
Tarun flew from Dubai to Hyderabad on a ticket purchased by Ranya Rao, who also received gold from him in Dubai.
Senior police official Ramchandra Rao has also been interrogated in connection with the gold smuggling investigation.
On March 15, the Karnataka government placed DGP K. Ramachandra Rao on mandatory leave, effective immediately and until further notice.
Ranya allegedly exploited her stepfather's name to bypass security measures by taking advantage of the protocol designated for high-ranking officials.
Investigations by DRI officials have identified Jain as a jewellery shop owner from Ballari district in Karnataka.
The arrests followed police interrogations of Ranya Rao and her former boyfriend Tarun Raju, both of whom are already in custody, leading to the identification of their links to Sahil. This connection prompted Sahil's detention for four days for further questioning.
