Gold Smuggling

It's destination Mumbai airport for smugglers trying to sneak in gold

Criminals seem to prefer the city because it is both a transit hub and a large market for the precious metal

Kerala HC upholds stay on commission to probe ED role in gold smuggling

The Kerala High Court on Friday upheld its 2021 single judge decision to stay a state government order appointing a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to examine any alleged attempt by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to implicate Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the gold smuggling through diplomatic channels case. A bench of Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Syam Kumar V M said there was no error in the single judge's August 11, 2021, interim order. The bench's ruling came while dismissing the Kerala government's appeal challenging the single judge's order. "The Writ Appeal, being bereft of merit and substance, is hereby dismissed. The interim order dated August 11, 2021, passed by the single judge is affirmed," the bench said. The single judge's order had come on a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking to quash the state government's notification regarding the appointment of the CoI. The bench also said the issue of the state government's legislative competence to

Personal or smuggled? Things to know while carrying gold from abroad

Recent court rulings show how easily personal ornaments can be mistaken for smuggling. Here's what travellers must know about duty-free limits and declarations

Actress Ranya Rao jailed for gold smuggling; no bail allowed for 1 year

Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment under the stringent COFEPOSA, in connection with a gold smuggling case. The Advisory Board handling the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) matter recently ruled that Rao will not be granted bail during the entire term of her detention. Rao was earlier granted default bail on May 20 by a city court, along with her co-accused Tarun Raju, after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to file a chargesheet within the legally mandated timeframe. Despite the bail being granted on a Rs 2 lakh bond and surety conditions, both Ranya and Tarun continued to remain in custody due to the preventive detention order under COFEPOSA, which permits detention for up to one year even without formal charges, based on suspicion of smuggling activities. In March, Ranya Rao arrived at from Dubai and attempted to pass through the Kempegowda International Airport's .

Actress Ranya booked under COFEPOSA Act in ₹12 crore gold smuggling case

Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been charged under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974, in connection with a gold smuggling case.With the invocation of this Act, she will not be eligible for bail for at least a year. Authorities stated that the move was necessary to prevent her from resuming illicit activities, citing her lack of cooperation during the investigation. Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior police officer K Ramchandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kilograms of gold valued at over Rs 12.56 crore. She is currently lodged at the Bengaluru central prison along with two others Tarun Raju and Sahil Sakaria Jain who have also been booked under the COFEPOSA Act. The case is being investigated jointly by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the CBI. According to officials, the stringent charges were applied after multiple ...

Probe confirms allegations of police protocol misuse by actress Ranya Rao

The probe into the possible role of DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao in the gold smuggling case has lent credence to the DRI's allegations that his stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, misused police protocols, sources said on Thursday. According to official sources, during the inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, a detailed analysis of records at Bengaluru airport revealed that the Kannada actress had misused police protocol services during her foreign travels, particularly upon her arrival at Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai. Analysis of CCTV footage at the airport further indicated that she availed herself of the DGP-rank officer's protocol services every time she arrived from Dubai at Bengaluru airport, the sources added. The Karnataka government sent the DGP-rank officer on compulsory leave on Saturday. Recently, the senior IPS officer was questioned in connection with the gold smuggling case. His statement was subsequently recorded by the investigating team le

Court denies bail to Kannada actress Ranya Rao in gold smuggling case

A Special Court of Economic Offences here on Friday rejected the bail plea of gold smuggling accused Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao.The second accused in the case, Tarun Raju, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days as probe continues. Ranya, stepdaughter of DGP rank officer K Ramachandra Rao, is presently lodged in the Parappana Agrahara Jail here. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport when she arrived here from Dubai on March 3. Subsequent searches conducted by DRI at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. During interrogation, authorities discovered that Tarun Raju was involved in facilitating the smuggling operation, allegedly coordinating the gold's transport and distribution within India. Both were taken into custody and booked under relevant sections of the Customs Act ..

Tamil Nadu drops rupee symbol, Ranya Rao smuggling case, Pak train attack & more

Amid its tussle with the Centre over alleged Hindi imposition, the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government replaced the Devanagari rupee symbol (₹) with a Tamil letter for ‘ru,’ derived from ‘rubai.

Actor Ranya Rao learnt to hide gold from YouTube; what else did she confess to the DRI?

Kannada actor Ranya Rao was caught smuggling 14.8 kg of gold at Bengaluru airport. She confessed to learning smuggling techniques from YouTube videos.

Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: ED conducts raids in Bengaluru under PMLA

The accused, Ranya Rao, while recording a statement with the DRI, informed them that this was her first time smuggling gold and how she did it

Gold, cash, and scandal: Ranya Rao makes shocking smuggling confession

She further explained to the DRI officials about her frequent trips to Dubai and how she smuggled gold and added that she never bought or brought gold from Dubai before

Bengaluru court reserves judgment on Kannada actress Ranya Rao's bail plea

A Bengaluru Special Court for Economic Offences on Wednesday reserved its decision on the bail plea of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a gold smuggling case. The court is expected to pronounce its judgment on March 14. During the bail hearing, Senior Advocate Kiran Javali, representing Rao, argued that officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to follow proper legal procedures during her arrest and interrogation. Javali contended that the arrest memo issued at the time did not explicitly state the "grounds of arrest," as required by the Supreme Court's guidelines in the DK Basu case. He further asserted that such procedural lapses justify the granting of bail, regardless of the gravity of the allegations. Opposing the bail plea, the DRI's legal team highlighted the seriousness of the charges against Rao, alleging her involvement in a significant gold smuggling operation. They argued that granting her bail could hinder the ongoing investiga

Gold smuggling case: Actor Ranya Rao remanded to 14-day judicial custody

Kannada actor Ranya Rao was caught at Bengaluru airport with 14.8 kg of gold, as the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence uncovered the smuggling operation just before she cleared security

Gold smuggling accused Ranya Rao was allotted land for steel plant: KIADB

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) on Sunday said Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai, was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous government in February 2023. The board was reacting to reports that a company linked to the actor was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the KIADB in 2023. Sensing that the case was taking a political turn, the office of Minister for Medium and Large Industries M B Patil shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district. The Congress came to power after defeating the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls in May 2023. The proceedings of the Karnataka government, shared by the minister's office, said, "Approval to the proposal of M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for manufacture of 'steel products - TMT bars,

Ranya Rao gold smuggling controversy: What India's customs rules say

Kannada actress Ranya Rao was caught smuggling gold at Bengaluru Airport. Here's a look at India's customs rules on gold, cash limits, and penalties under the Customs Act of 1962

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

Gold smuggling drops significantly after July import duty cut: CBIC chief

Gold smuggling has reduced significantly since July 2024 when the government slashed import duty on the precious metal to 6 per cent, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal said. As per the latest available data, Customs and DRI officers seized 847 kg of gold worth Rs 544 crore at various airports in the April-June period of the current fiscal. In July, the government reduced customs duty on gold to 6 per cent from 15 per cent. "After the rate of duty was reduced on gold in the last year's budget, there is a significant reduction in the smuggling of gold," Agarwal told PTI in an interview. Although Agarwal did not reveal the quantum or value of gold seizures, he said authorities are keeping regular watch over the international passenger traffic, porous borders, and commercial cargoes coming into the country to cut the smuggling of narcotics through any route. Smuggling is the secret movement of goods across national borders to avoid custom

Grains for gold: Govt export curbs drive boom in barter smuggling

The practice of smuggling gold to buy grain has persisted even after India, the world's second-largest gold consumer, slashed 9 percentage points from its import duty in July

Gold smuggling remarks row: Kerala CM opposes Governor's summons

Chief Minister has issued a letter to the Rajbhavan stating that summoning officials without informing the elected government is beyond the constitutional authority of the governor

Congress MLA demands apology from CM Vijayan on 'gold smuggling' remark'

The Congress MLA alleged that earlier, when issues of gold smuggling were raised, the CM was silent