Actress Ranya Rao Alleges Mistreatment in Custody Over Gold Smuggling Case
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Actress Ranya Rao, accused of gold smuggling, alleges she was physically assaulted by DRI officers during custody. She states they coerced her into signing statements against her will, threatening to expose her stepfather, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao. The investigations involve the DRI, CBI, and ED.
Key Takeaways
- Ranya Rao claims she was assaulted by DRI agents.
- She alleges coercion into signing false statements.
- The case involves investigations by multiple agencies.
- Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta is probing police involvement.
- The court denied her bail citing ongoing investigations.
Bengaluru, March 15 (NationPress) Ranya Rao, the actress implicated in a gold smuggling case, has claimed that agents from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) physically assaulted her during her time in custody. She alleges that they coerced her into signing statements under threats that they would reveal compromising information about her stepfather, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao.
Currently held in judicial custody after her bail request was denied, Rao is under investigation by the DRI, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The state government has tasked Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta with examining the potential involvement of DGP Ramachandra Rao and any police misconduct.
In a serious letter sent to the Additional Director General (ADG) of the DRI on March 6, shortly before her transfer to the Central Jail in Bengaluru, she expressed that no weight should be given to any statements made during her detention from the moment of her arrest until her court appearance.
“I am addressing you regarding the baseless case lodged against me, claiming that I was apprehended while returning from Dubai with over 14 kilograms of gold. Your officers did not allow me the opportunity to assert my innocence,” she stated. “They seized me from within the aircraft, and from that moment until my court appearance, I endured approximately 10-15 slaps and hits from identifiable officers,” she added.
“Despite the assaults, I stood firm against signing the statements they prepared. An officer warned me that if I refused to sign, they would unveil my father's identity, despite knowing he had no involvement. Under extreme pressure and physical coercion, I was compelled to sign 50-60 typed pages and around 40 blank sheets of paper,” claimed Ranya Rao.
In her correspondence, she further alleged that during her custody from 6:45 PM on March 3 until 7:50 PM on March 4, she was denied adequate sleep and nourishment. “The officers intentionally deprived me of sleep,” she claimed.
“Due to the DRI officials' abusive treatment—ranging from sleep deprivation to physical assaults and threats to expose my family—these signatures were obtained under duress,” she asserted.
Reiterating her claims of innocence, Ranya Rao maintained that she has been wrongfully accused. “No search or seizure was conducted as claimed, nor was anything retrieved from me. Certain individuals from Delhi, who were allegedly officers, aimed to shield other passengers and have wrongly implicated me,” she alleged.
She also reported that she was threatened again en route to court on March 4, warned not to mention the assaults to the judge, or they would divulge her father’s name.
However, the special court dealing with economic offenses, while denying her bail request, referenced her torture allegations against the DRI, asserting: “The claim of sleep deprivation during interrogation, which contradicts the constitutional right to leisure, cannot be validated at this stage, as the complainant agency asserts the apprehension was based on specific intelligence and monitoring of the travel history of the accused, Ranya Rao.”
