Ranya Rao in ₹102 Crore Gold Case

Kannada actor Ranya Rao has been named in a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a ₹102 crore gold smuggling case. According to the agency, the syndicate allegedly smuggled more than 127 kg of gold into India over the course of a year and distributed it in the domestic market through a network of handlers and jewellers. Besides Rao, the ED named associate Tarun Konduru and Ballari gold dealer Sahil Sakariya Jain in its prosecution complaint. The ED submitted the complaint before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Bengaluru.

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Ranya Rao Alleged Role in Gold Smuggling Network Detailed by ED

Officials apprehended 33-year-old Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, at Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling gold last year. Officials intercepted her after noticing that it was her fourth trip to Dubai within 15 days. They found her carrying 14.2 kg of gold — some worn on her body and the rest concealed in her clothing. They stopped her just a few feet from the airport exit and seized the contraband.

In its prosecution complaint filed before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Bengaluru, the ED detailed the alleged modus operandi of the accused. Besides Rao, the agency has named her alleged associate Tarun Konduru and Ballari-based gold dealer Sahil Sakariya Jain. Investigators claim the network operated in a coordinated manner, arranging frequent overseas trips, sourcing gold from Dubai, and ensuring its swift disposal in India to avoid detection.

Following her arrest, authorities conducted a search at her residence, where she lived with her husband. During the search, officials reportedly recovered gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore.

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