Who is Ranya Rao, Kannada actress arrested for smuggling 14.2 kg gold?

Ranya Rao came under the DRI's radar due to her frequent trips to Dubai. She was caught while flying back from Dubai on an Emirates flight on March 3

Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at the Kempegowda Airport in Bengaluru on Monday, March 3, for allegedly smuggling gold bars. Rao, who is also the daughter of a DGP-rank IPS officer, was caught with gold bars worth Rs 12 crore in her possession.

 

The actress was caught by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) while flying back from Dubai on an Emirates flight. Rao came under the agency's radar after her frequent trips to Dubai.

Who is Ranya Rao?

Born in 1991 in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Rao pursued engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before venturing into acting. To hone her acting skills, she attended the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute in Mumbai.

 

Ranya made her debut in 2014 with the Kannada film 'Maanikya,' directed by and starring Sudeep. In 2016, she transitioned to Tamil cinema with the film 'Wagah,' where she played the female lead opposite Vikram Prabhu. The movie depicted a cross-border romance between an Indian soldier and a Pakistani woman.

 

Ranya continued her work in Kannada cinema with the 2017 film 'Pataki,' a comedy in which she played Sangeetha, a journalist and the love interest of a police officer portrayed by Ganesh.

How Ranya Rao was caught

According to an NDTV report, it is alleged that two people who were accompanying her were carrying briefcases filled with gold bars. The accused almost cleared the security and were about to exit when they were intercepted by DRI.

 

"Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kg were found ingeniously concealed on person. The contraband, valued at Rs 12.56 crore was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962," a DRI statement read.

 

The agency sleuths also searched her home in Bengaluru where they found gold worth Rs 2.67 crore. The agency stated that the total recovery stood at Rs 17.29 crore.

 

Ranya Rao was arrested by the agencies under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, of 1962, and has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.