Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested at Bengaluru airport for smuggling ₹12.5 crore gold from Dubai

Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Monday night for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold worth approximately ₹12.5 crore. She was taken into custody upon arrival from Dubai on an Emirates flight and was under surveillance due to her frequent international travel. Officials said she had made four trips to Dubai within 15 days, prompting a targeted operation upon her return.

Investigators stated that Rao smuggled the gold by wearing a portion of it and concealing gold bars within her clothing. Upon landing, she allegedly identified herself as the daughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police (DGP) and attempted to contact local police personnel for assistance in leaving the airport. Reports suggest she had used this method multiple times in the past to bypass customs checks. Officials are now examining whether any law enforcement personnel were knowingly or unknowingly involved in aiding her activities.

Authorities said Rao was intercepted while passing through the immigration clearance section and later taken to the DRI headquarters in Bengaluru’s HBR Layout for questioning. A senior officer confirmed that a case has been registered against her under various sections of the Customs Act, and she was produced before the 42nd Additional Sessions Court. The court remanded her to 14 days of judicial custody as investigations continue into the source of the smuggled gold and any potential links to a larger network.

Ranya Rao, 33, hails from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, and pursued engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before entering the film industry. She made her debut in the Kannada film Maanikya (2014) and later acted in Tamil and Kannada films such as Wagah (2016) and Pataki (2017). Authorities are looking into her financial records and past travel history to determine if she was involved in smuggling activities before this incident.

The DRI is continuing its investigation into whether Rao acted alone or was part of a smuggling syndicate operating between Dubai and India. Officials have not ruled out the possibility of more arrests as they analyze communication records and airport security footage. Customs authorities have stated that no official statement will be released at this stage, and further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.