Gold Smuggling Case: Merchant Arrested in Connection with Actor Ranya Rao’s Case

Bengaluru: In a significant development in the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actor Ranya Rao, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested gold merchant Sahil Jain for allegedly helping dispose of the smuggled gold. He has been placed in police custody for four days for further questioning and investigation.

Ranya Rao, the prime accused, was taken into custody on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kilograms of gold worth over ₹12.56 crore. Her bail plea is scheduled for a hearing on Thursday, alongside that of Tarun Raj, a close associate and co-accused in the case. The prosecution has argued that Rao admitted to using hawala channels for transactions.

Meanwhile, Ranya Rao’s stepfather, senior police officer Ramchandra Rao, has also come under scrutiny. He was recently sent on “compulsory leave,” though no official reason was cited. Investigators suspect that his high-ranking position as a DGP officer may have helped Ranya bypass stringent airport security checks by using a VIP exit.

As the case unfolds, authorities continue to probe deeper into the smuggling network, with more arrests and revelations expected in the coming days.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”