Kannada actor Ranya Rao granted bail in gold smuggling case, to stay in jail under COFEPOSA case
Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport after DRI officials allegedly found her carrying 14.2 kg of gold bars worth ₹12.5 crore
A special court for economic offences in Bengaluru on Tuesday granted default bail to Kannada actor Ranya Rao and Telugu actor and businessman Tarun Konduru Raju in connection with a gold smuggling case filed against them in March this year.
Special Judge Vishwanath Channabasappa Gowdar passed the order after noting that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which is investigating the case, failed to file a chargesheet within the statutory period of 60 days.
Despite securing default bail, both Rao and Raju will remain in jail, as they have also been booked under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), a preventive detention law applicable to cases of smuggling.
The special court granted the duo bail on execution of a ₹ 2 lakh personal bond with two sureties. It also directed both Rao and Raju to regularly attend trial court hearings, refrain from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses, and fully cooperate with the investigation. Additionally, they have been barred from leaving India without the court's prior permission.
The court cautioned that any violation of the bail conditions or commission of a similar offence would result in the cancellation of the default bail. The matter has been posted for further consideration on June 2, to assess compliance with the bail order.
Earlier, on April 26, the Karnataka high court rejected their regular bail pleas in the same case of alleged gold smuggling. Rao, represented by advocate Sandesh Chouta, had claimed at the time that she had been falsely implicated. However, senior advocate Madhu N Rao, representing the DRI, opposed the plea and told the court that the agency's investigation had uncovered the smuggling of 100 kilograms of gold from Dubai to India by the accused duo.
At the time, the high court also questioned how Rao had secured VIP protocol and police escort at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. DRI responded that this aspect was still under investigation. DRI, however, had said it was yet to probe that aspect.
Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport after DRI officials allegedly found her carrying 14.2 kg of gold bars worth ₹12.5 crore. Raju was arrested on March 9. According to DRI, the duo made over 20 trips to Dubai between January and March this year alone, with Rao allegedly making 56 trips between 2023 and 2024.
DRI also claimed that Rao had declared she had nothing to report while passing through the green channel at the airport. However, a search allegedly revealed over ₹12 crore worth of undeclared gold bars in her possession.
Last week, Rao’s mother HP Rohini approached the Karnataka high court, challenging her daughter’s detention under the COFEPOSA Act. The matter has been adjourned to June 3 for further hearing.
