Ranya Rao also known as Harshavardhini Ranya released after preventive detention under COFEPOSA Act 1974. Bail granted by Vishwanath Gowdar in high profile gold smuggling case.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardhini Ranya, along with her co-accused, has been released after completing one year of preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974.
The release followed an order granting bail by Special Economic Offences Judge Vishwanath Gowdar, marking a significant development in a high-profile gold smuggling case that had drawn national attention.
The case traces back to March 2025, when authorities arrested Ranya Rao along with Tarun Kondur Raju and Sahil Sarkaria in connection with an alleged international gold smuggling syndicate. Investigations suggested that the group was part of a larger network responsible for bringing substantial quantities of gold into India from Dubai. Rao, who is also the stepdaughter of Karnataka IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, was alleged to have played a role in a smuggling operation valued at over Rs 102 crore.
According to the probe conducted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the syndicate had smuggled more than 100 kilograms of gold into India between 2024 and 2025, with some estimates suggesting that the total quantity could be as high as 127 kilograms over a one-year period.
The operation reportedly involved a well-organised system using multiple carriers and intermediaries, including handlers and jewellers, to distribute the smuggled gold into domestic markets. Officials described the case as one of the more significant smuggling rackets uncovered in recent years.
Ranya Rao was specifically accused of smuggling 14.2 kilograms of gold, valued at approximately Rs 12.56 crore, from Dubai to Bengaluru. Investigators alleged that the gold was concealed in belts and jackets and transported through routes typically reserved for VVIPs, raising concerns about possible misuse of privileged access channels. Her co-accused were similarly implicated in facilitating different aspects of the smuggling operation.
In May 2025, Rao and Tarun Kondur Raju were granted default bail after the DRI reportedly failed to file a chargesheet within the statutory period of 60 days. However, despite securing bail in the criminal case, they continued to remain in custody under the preventive detention provisions of COFEPOSA, which allows detention to prevent future smuggling activities rather than punish past conduct.
The legality of this preventive detention was subsequently challenged before the Karnataka High Court by Rao’s mother, H. P. Rohini. In December 2025, the High Court dismissed the plea, upholding the detention and accepting the authorities’ justification that such measures were necessary to curb ongoing smuggling risks.
With the completion of the one-year detention period under COFEPOSA, the accused have now been released, bringing a temporary close to their custodial phase. The case, however, continues to remain under legal scrutiny, with proceedings relating to the alleged smuggling network and its wider ramifications still ongoing.