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ED files charge sheet against Ranya in gold smuggling case
The ED charged Kannada actress Ranya Rao and two others in a gold smuggling case, alleging over ₹102 crore in gold was illegally imported to India.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet in its money laundering probe into a gold smuggling syndicate involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, alleging that the syndicate smuggled over 127 kg of gold worth over ₹102 crore in a year to India and disposed it off in the domestic market through a network of handlers and jewellers.
The agency named Ranya Rao, and two others — her alleged associate Tarun Konduru and gold dealer Sahil Sakariya Jain — as accused in its prosecution complaint (charge sheet) filed under prevention of money laundering act (PMLA) before a special court in Bengaluru.
ED is among several central agencies — along with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence (DRI) — that are looking into a larger conspiracy into the gold smuggling racket.
Its probe is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case filed on March 7, 2025 following a complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
DRI had intercepted Rao, stepdaughter of a director general of police rank officer, on March 3, 2025 at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, with 14.213 kg of concealed 24-carat foreign-origin gold, valued at ₹12.56 Crore. A search of her residence resulted in the recovery of ₹2.67 crore in unaccounted Indian currency and gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore.
“ED headquarters Investigation Unit-II (HIU-II), New Delhi has filed a prosecution complaint on Wednesday under PMLA against Harshavardini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, Tarun Konduru and Sahil Sakariya Jain in connection with a large-scale gold smuggling and money laundering case,” the agency said in a statement.
Investigations, ED said, revealed that “a total of 127.287 kg of gold valued at approximately ₹102.55 crore was smuggled into India during the period - March 2024 to March 2025”.
“The smuggled gold was disposed of in the domestic market through a network of handlers and jewellers. The sale proceeds were generated in cash and settled through hawala channels in India and abroad. These funds were further layered and routed through multiple bank accounts and entities to project them as legitimate business transactions,” ED said in its statement.
The federal agency had carried out raids in the matter on May 21 and 22 last year and found incriminating documents, digital devices, Indian currency and foreign currency. To complete its probe, ED recorded statements of several people.
The agency last year also attached assets worth ₹34.12 crore held in the name of Ranya Rao.
“The investigation has revealed an organised and structured mechanism involving procurement of gold abroad, illegal import into India, cash-based disposal and subsequent laundering of proceeds through hawala and banking channels. Such activities not only undermine the legal trade and financial systems but also erode public trust in institutions meant to regulate cross-border transactions,” ED said on Wednesday.
