Actor Ranya Rao earned ₹12 lakh in each Dubai trip by allegedly smuggling gold: Report

Ranya Rao reportedly travelled to Dubai 30 times over the past year. On each of her trip, she allegedly brought back kilos of gold.

Updated on: Mar 6, 2025, 15:15:57 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Shivam Pratap Singh

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Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested on Monday night at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai. Gold bars worth Rs. 12.56 crore, weighing almost 15 kilograms, were seized from her possession. As the investigation into the case is progressing, new and shocking details keep emerging. Follow LIVE updates.

As the investigation into the Ranya Rao case is progressing, new and shocking details keep emerging. (Facebook/ Ranya Rao)

Rao, the stepdaughter of senior Karnataka IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, reportedly travelled to Dubai 30 times over the past year. On each of her trip, she allegedly brought back kilos of gold. According to the sources quoted in a report by India Today, Rao was paid ₹1 lakh per kilogram of smuggled gold Thus, she allegedly earned around ₹12-13 lakh per trip.

Investigations have also revealed that the actress used modified jackets and waist belts repeatedly for her smuggling operations. She used the same jackets and belts during her travels. At the time of her arrest by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), she was hiding the gold bars in her modified jacket.

Ranya Rao arrest: What did the actress tell DRI officials after being intercepted

Ranya Rao was reportedly on the radar of the authorities for some time due to the frequency of her trips to Dubai. She reportedly was intercepted by the DRI officials on her return on Wednesday just as she was about to clear airport security.

After being stopped, Rao mentioned that she was the daughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who is posted as DGP (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation). However, due to prior intelligence, she was frisked, and the gold was recovered.

The total seizure in the case stood at Rs. 17.29 crore, including assets worth Rs. 4.73 crore.

Meanwhile, Ramachandra Rao expressed shock at his daughter’s arrest.

"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, and 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 problems 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 was quoted as saying by ANI.

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