Karnataka Gold Smuggling Incident: DGP Unaware of Daughter's Involvement
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Synopsis
Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao expressed shock upon learning about his daughter Ranya Rao's arrest for gold smuggling. He denied any prior knowledge of her involvement and emphasized his commitment to integrity.
Key Takeaways
- DGP K. Ramachandra Rao was unaware of his daughter Ranya Rao's arrest.
- Ranya is implicated in a gold smuggling case involving 14.8 kg of gold.
- The DRI has sought custody to investigate further.
- Ranya claims she was coerced into smuggling.
- Authorities seized significant cash and gold during a raid.
Bengaluru, March 6 (NationPress) The Director General of Police for the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, K. Ramachandra Rao, expressed his devastation upon learning of the arrest of his daughter, actress Ranya Rao, who is currently jailed on allegations of gold smuggling. He stated on Thursday that he was completely caught off guard by the situation involving her.
Ranya Rao is the step-daughter of DGP Ramachandra Rao, being the first daughter of his second wife.
Her arrest has raised questions regarding the DGP's involvement. Investigations suggest that Ranya Rao may have exploited her father's position to evade security checks and utilized police escort services from the airport to her home.
In response to these allegations, DGP Ramachandra Rao firmly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he had no prior knowledge of the situation. He stated: “When I learned about the incident through the media, I was filled with shock and despair. I had no idea about my daughter’s involvement in any alleged smuggling activities. The depth of my shock, pain, and devastation from these events is beyond words. I have always maintained my integrity. I urge the public and media to be fair.”
He also noted that Ranya Rao has been living apart from him and her family with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, since their marriage in 2024.
“Ranya has not been visiting us, and we have not been allowed to see her. There is a clear separation between us. Should Ranya violate any laws, justice will take its course. My career has been without blemish,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has requested custody of the actress from the court. Currently, Ranya Rao is in judicial custody and has filed a bail petition in the local court.
The DRI, through its legal representative, informed the court on Thursday that it needs Ranya’s custody from March 9 to March 11 to dismantle the alleged smuggling syndicate.
According to DRI sources, it is crucial to investigate the destination of the seized gold. Ranya Rao has reportedly been used as a delivery person, and her custody is necessary to explore the involvement of other individuals in this case.
Ranya Rao has claimed during the investigation that she was coerced and blackmailed into transporting the gold, asserting that this was her first experience participating in such activities.
However, sources indicated that she had been under surveillance for an extended period due to her suspicious frequent travels to Dubai.
The DRI captured Kannada actress Ranya Rao after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night.
On Wednesday, the DRI conducted a raid at the Bengaluru residence of Ranya Rao, uncovering a significant amount of cash and gold valued in crores of rupees.
The raid followed her arrest at Bengaluru International Airport, where she was implicated in smuggling 14.8 kg of gold. Authorities recovered gold worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her lavish Lavelle Road apartment, where she was reportedly paying Rs 4.5 lakh in rent.
