 "Kannada actress Ranya Rao breaks silence on ‘gold smuggling’ charges amid arrest: ‘I wish to state that I am tired and…’")
Ranya Rao, Kannada actor & Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao’s stepdaughter was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after 14.8 kilograms of gold worth Rs 12 crore was allegedly found in her possession.
The actress was produced before a judge on Tuesday evening and was remanded to 14-day judicial custody. The 33-year-old star had flown in from Dubai on an Emirates flight on Monday and allegedly two people accompanying her were carrying the smuggled gold in briefcases.
In a now leaked statement, she has confessed of buying 17 gold bars. “I have travelled to Europe, America, and (the) Middle East and have visited Dubai, Saudi Arabia. I wish to state that I am tired at present as I did not get enough rest,” the statement read.
The trio had cleared security at the Kempegowda airport and were about to exit when a DRI team, which got the intel, stopped her and started a search.
“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 said.
“Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residential premises located at Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, where she resides with her husband. The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewelry worth Rs. 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs. 2.67 crore,” the DRI said.
Who is Ranya Rao?
Ranya, who hailed from Karnataka’s Chikamagaluru, has completed an engineering degree from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bangalore.
She made her big debut opposite Kannada superstar Sudeep in Maanikya in 2014, which was a remake of the 2013 Telugu film Mirchi featuring Prabhas and Anushka Shetty. Ranya also appeared in a Tamil film Wagah (2016) opposite Vikram Prabhu.
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