 "4 visits in 15 days, same clothes: How Kannada movie star Ranya Rao was caught smuggling gold from Dubai")
A glamorous film career, frequent Dubai trips, and an alleged smuggling operation worth crores—Kannada actress Ranya Rao’s dramatic arrest at Bengaluru airport has already made headlines.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended the actress on Monday as she allegedly attempted to smuggle 14.8 kilogrammes of gold into India, a haul valued at nearly Rs 13 crore.
But this wasn’t a one-off incident.
Authorities had been tracking her movements for a while, noticing her repeated travel pattern and her calculated attempts to bypass customs with each trip from the UAE. This time, however, when Rao was one step away from clearing security, DRI caught her red-handed, and uncovered what is termed to be the biggest seizure of gold at the Bengaluru airport.
Notably, Rao is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, a senior IPS officer from Karnataka, who is currently serving as Director-General of Police (DGP) at Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.
So, what led to her arrest? How did authorities uncover the smuggling operation? Here’s what we know so far.
Four Dubai trips in 15 days
According to India Today, Rao had been under surveillance for quite some time due to her frequent trips to the UAE with her husband, Jatin, despite having no clear business or family ties there.
Sources revealed that Rao had travelled to Dubai four times within a span of just 15 days, a pattern that immediately raised red flags for authorities.
Each time she returned to Bengaluru, she was seen wearing a noticeable amount of gold jewellery. Adding to the suspicion, she was observed wearing the same set of clothes on each trip.
Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials intercepted Rao upon her arrival from Dubai to Bengaluru via an Emirates flight on March 3, 2025. As per DRI protocols, passengers who make frequent trips to specific regions are subjected to thorough checks.
During the frisking process, investigators discovered that she had attempted to smuggle gold by wearing a large amount of it and concealing gold bars within her clothing.
A Times of India report, citing sources, described how officers were “shocked to find gold bars cleverly concealed in a belt.”
“Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kilogrammes were found ingeniously concealed on person. The contraband, valued at Rs 12.56 crore, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,” the DRI stated.
Following her arrest, Rao was taken to the DRI headquarters in Bengaluru’s HBR Layout for questioning.
The investigation didn’t stop there. DRI officials searched her residence on Lavelle Road, where she lived with her husband.
“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 jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore,” the agency stated.
Frequent trips to Dubai, Smuggling of gold, 4.5 lakh/month apartment, Jewellery worth 2.06 crore and cash amounting 2.67 crore seized. #RanyaRao pic.twitter.com/w5MZzc0ooc
— Pinky Rajpurohit 🇮🇳 (@Madrassan_Pinky) March 5, 2025
With the total value of the seized assets standing at Rs 17.29 crore, the bust dealt a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks, officials added.
Rao was subsequently booked under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and was presented before an economic offences court. She was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
Also read: Who is Ranya Rao, the Kannada actress caught smuggling gold bars in her belt?
Bypassed customs checks each time
During investigation prior to her arrest, authorities noticed that Rao reportedly managed to bypass stringent customs checks. Each time she returned from Dubai, she had a police escort who helped her navigate past airport security.
Even on the day of her arrest, Rao reportedly attempted to avoid security screening with the help of a police constable, identified as Basavaraju, who accompanied her, India Today reported.
Following her detention, authorities also took constable Basavaraju into custody and recorded his statement regarding his alleged role in assisting Rao at the airport.
During questioning, Rao claimed that she had been blackmailed into smuggling gold. Investigators are now probing whether she was acting alone or if she was part of a larger smuggling network operating between Dubai and India.
Meanwhile, her father has distanced himself from her actions. He revealed that Rao had not been in contact with the family since her marriage to Jatin Hukkeri four months ago. Hukkeri, an architect, is known for designing pubs and microbreweries.
Expressing his shock and disappointment, he told The Times of India, “She has let us down. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course.”
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara declined to comment on the issue, saying the case was under investigation.
“We are investigating the case. But unless and until they come out with definite information, we cannot say anything. I don’t know anything. I am simply speculating. If it was police work; we would have gotten information, all this has to be found out and then I can come and say. Internally, yes, from the department I can definitely get some information,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.
Who is Ranya Rao?
Originally from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya Rao is a popular actress.
She pursued engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before making her way into the film industry.
She made her acting debut in 2014 with the Kannada film Maanikya, directed by Sudeep. In the film, she played a wealthy young woman and the protagonist’s love interest. According to Mint, the 33-year-old landed the supporting role after her mother and well-wishers shared her portfolio with casting coordinators.
Ranya later appeared in other South Indian films, including the 2015 Tamil movie Wagah and the 2017 Kannada comedy Pataki.
With input from agencies
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