NEW DELHI, Mar 5: Kannada actress Ranya Rao’s IPS father, the DGP of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, Ramachandra Rao, said he had been shocked and devastated by his daughter’s arrest allegedly for smuggling of gold.
Ranya was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Bengaluru International Airport on Monday after she was found in possession of 14.8 kg of gold. Her father said Ranya was his stepdughter and he had nothing to do with her arrest. He also said he was not aware about her activities that led to her arrest asserting that he had no black marks in his police career.
“I was also shocked and devastated when such an incident came to my notice through the media, I was not aware of any of these things, like any other father I was also shocked. She is not living with us, she is living separately with her husband, there must be some problem between them due to some family issues. Anyway, the law will do its job, there is no black mark in my career. I don’t want to say anything more,” he said.
The authorities were tracking Ranya Rao for past six to seven months leading to her arrest on Monday, sources said on Wednesday. Rao’s movements were tracked and were under the radar of agencies. The actor reportedly made over 10 international trips to Dubai despite having no business or family ties there, which put her under Directorate of Revenue Intelligence’s (DRI) scanner, sources said.
Investigative agencies suspect that the modus operandi involved a state protocol officer, who allegedly used to bypass security checks of the luggage, sources said, adding that the authorities suspect that the officer might not be aware of actor’s dubious act. Investigations have discovered that she often received police escorts to sneak past security checks at the airport by taking advantage of official protocol services meant for senior bureaucrats, including IPS officers. Her husband is also likely to be quizzed by agencies.
Agencies are further investigating if more people are involved in the nexus or Rao’s father, DGP Ramachandra Rao was aware of her dubious act. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted Rao, who had arrived from Dubai to Bengaluru via Emirates flight on March 3, 2025. Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.8 kg were found ingeniously concealed on the person. The contraband, valued at Rs. 12.56 crore, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Following the arrest, officials raided her residence at Nandwani Mansion in Lavelle Road. The search led to the seizure of Rs 2.67 crore in cash and gold worth Rs 2.06 crore. The officials took three large boxes from her house after the raid. The total seizure stands at Rs 17.29 crore.
Rao was presented before an economic offences court, which remanded her to 14 days in judicial custody. Ranya Rao has acted in several Kannada and Tamil films, including Maanikya (starring Sudeep), Pataki (with Ganesh), and Wagah (featuring Vikram Prabhu).
(Manas Dasgupta)
