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Ranya Rao's DGP stepfather ‘unaware’ of her business affairs | Here's what he said
Kannada actress Ranya Rao has hit headlines after being caught on Monday while returning from Dubai and later getting jailed for allegedly smuggling gold.
Business affairs of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, jailed over gold smuggling charges, were not known to her DGP stepfather Ramachandra Rao, who said it was a "huge disappointment" for him to find that 14 kg of smuggled gold was recovered from his stepdaughter at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
Ramachandra Rao, the Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, said on Thursday that he was completely "unaware" of the business affairs of his stepdaughter Ranya Rao and her husband, according to news agency ANI.
Ranya Rao has been hitting headlines after being caught on Monday night while returning from Dubai and subsequently getting jailed for allegedly smuggling gold, some portion of which she hid by concealing in clothing.
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Ranya Rao was arrested with over 14.2 kilogram gold bars, which the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on Wednesday said was valued at ₹12.56 crore.
Ranya Rao's arrest stirred massive public and political discussion, as preliminary investigations suggested that the actress may have attempted to use her connections to bypass customs checks.
What Ranya Rao's stepfather said
Ranya Rao's DGP father Ramachandra Rao said that she had never once visited his house after her marriage to Jatin Hukkeri, four months ago.
"Ranya was married to Jatin Hukkeri four months ago. Post marriage, she never visited our house. We are completely unaware of her and her husband Jatin's business affairs," Ramachandra Rao told news agency ANI.
Jatin Hukkeri's office has not released any statement or comment regarding the allegations against his wife.
Ranya Rao is a Kannada actress known for her roles in films like 'Maanikya' and 'Pataki'.
DGP Ramachandra Rao also said he was shocked and disappointed upon hearing of his stepdaughter's alleged connection to the gold smuggling, adding that law will take its course if any violation is found.
On March 4, Ranya Rao was produced before a special court for financial offences and was remanded to judicial custody until March 18.
Prior to her transfer to custody, she was taken for a medical examination at the Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru.
During questioning, Ranya Rao reportedly claimed that her trip to Dubai was for business purposes, though authorities allege that her visit was linked to the illegal importation of gold.
