Kannada actress Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling over 14 kg of gold into India, has claimed that she was denied sleep and verbally tortured in custody. Seeking bail in a special court, Rao alleged that from March 3 evening to March 4 morning, she was summoned three times for questioning, violating her rights.
Rao&rsquo;s lawyer, Kiran Javali, argued that her detention was unlawful, claiming her statement was not voluntary and that her arrest did not follow due procedure under Section 102 of the Customs Act. He also pointed out the lack of an official arrest declaration by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of senior Karnataka police officer Ramachandra Rao, was detained at Bengaluru airport on March 3 upon arrival from Dubai. Authorities found gold bars worth ₹14.56 crore strapped to her body. Subsequent searches at her residence led to the seizure of gold worth ₹2 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash.
The DRI had been tracking Rao due to her frequent Dubai trips&mdash;four times in 15 days, and 27 in the past year&mdash;suspecting her involvement in a gold smuggling network. Reports suggest she earned ₹5 lakh per kg of gold smuggled.
Rao, who debuted in 2014&rsquo;s &lsquo;Maanikya&rsquo;, was seen in court with swollen eyes and bruises, claiming she was traumatized and emotionally broken. However, the DRI&rsquo;s arrest memo cited pre-existing injuries. Her lawyer insisted that even in serious cases like murder, courts have granted bail to female accused and questioned why she should be denied bail.
Her stepfather, CMD of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, has denied any involvement in the smuggling case, expressing shock and devastation. He stated that he had no contact with Rao since her marriage four months ago and was unaware of her husband Jatin Hukkeri&rsquo;s business activities. The Karnataka government has since launched an independent inquiry into his role.
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The actress says she has been verbally abused, denied sleep; she is in DRI custody for gold smuggling

Ranya Rao Alleges Custodial Mistreatment

The actress says she has been verbally abused, denied sleep; she is in DRI custody for gold smuggling

March 12, 2025 | 17:04 IST