In a significant crackdown on an alleged gold smuggling racket, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case following the arrest of Kannada actor Ranya Rao.
The actor was apprehended with 14.2 kg of gold at Bengaluru Airport, triggering a multi-agency investigation into the intricate smuggling network involved.
The ED has initiated a money laundering probe, leading to searches at eight locations across Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) raided nine sites in Bengaluru, including properties linked to Ranya Rao's husband, Jatin Vijaykumar Hukkeri.
The investigation into this high-profile case involves three major agencies.
The DRI is examining Ranya Rao's involvement, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the broader smuggling network, and the ED is focusing on potential money laundering via Hawala channels.
The 33-year-old actor, who is the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, was intercepted last week at Bengaluru Airport carrying gold not just in her luggage but also concealed within her clothing.
Her frequent Dubai trips—four in just 15 days—had aroused suspicions, leading to the interception and subsequent search of her residence. Authorities recovered gold jewelry worth Rs. 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs. 2.67 crore from her home.
According to officials, Ranya Rao was reportedly part of an extensive smuggling operation, earning Rs 4-5 lakh for every kilogram of gold smuggled from Dubai.
During interrogation, she revealed that she received instructions via an internet call to collect the gold at Dubai International Airport. She met an unidentified man in a white gown at the airport lounge, who handed her the gold wrapped in thick plastic.
She then concealed the gold on her body before boarding her flight to Bengaluru on March 3.
The DRI disclosed that Ranya Rao was able to pass through airport security with the assistance of a protocol officer complicit in the smuggling racket. However, her luck ran out as revenue officials stopped her mere feet away from the airport exit.
Ranya Rao remains in DRI custody, which has been extended until March 24, as the investigation continues to unravel the complexities of the smuggling network and those complicit in this illegal enterprise.