Today, On 25th March, The court reserved its decision on the bail plea of Kannada actress Ranya Rao until March 27. During the hearing, arguments were presented from both the prosecution and defense before the court decided to defer its ruling. Rao’s legal team is seeking her release, while the prosecution opposes the bail. The final judgment on her plea will be announced on the scheduled date.
Bengaluru: The bail order for Kannada actress Ranya Rao has been reserved for March 27. The court heard arguments from both Ranya Rao’s attorney, Kiran Jawali, and the DRI’s lawyer, Madhu Rao.
Reports indicate that Tarun Raju, an accused in the gold smuggling case involving Ranya Rao, has been placed in judicial custody for 15 days at the request of the DRI. After completing his time in DRI custody, he was presented before Judge Vishwanath C. Gowdar, who issued the custody order.
Additionally, Ranya Rao had been remanded to judicial custody until March 24, as reported on March 10. She appeared before the Economic Offences Court following her three-day custody with the DRI. It is important to note that she was arrested by the DRI for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai.
Madhu N Rao, senior standing counsel for the State, countered that Ranya was arrested under the Customs Act.
Ranya, recognized for her performances in Kannada films such as Maanikya and Pataki, was apprehended earlier this week by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after returning from Dubai on March 3, 2025.
Her arrest came after authorities received a tip-off regarding her alleged involvement in gold smuggling into India. DRI officials had deployed a team at the airport to intercept her upon her arrival, and she was taken into custody immediately after landing.
Authorities claim that Ranya was attempting to smuggle 14.8 kilograms of gold into the country.
Ranya’s stepfather, Ramachandra Rao, who serves as the Director General of Police (DGP) for the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, expressed his shock and dismay upon learning of his stepdaughter’s arrest.
Reports suggest that Ranya, the adopted daughter of a DGP-rank officer in the state, utilized the VIP route at the airport to bypass inspections.
Following a search of her residence, DRI officials also seized jewelry worth Rs.2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs.2.67 crore, bringing the total value of the confiscated items in the case to Rs.17.29 crore.
Ranya was held in DRI custody for three days before the court ordered her to be placed in judicial custody for fifteen days last Monday.
Additionally, the High Court issued a directive against taking any swift actions regarding Ranya’s husband, Jatin Vijayakumar Hukkeri. It also prohibited 39 media outlets from broadcasting, publishing, or disseminating any defamatory remarks about senior police officer K Ramachandra Rao (IPS), who is Ranya’s stepfather.
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