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Ranya Rao stashed gold in shoes, lied to authorities; metal detector caught her: Report
Ranya Rao, who arrived in Bengaluru on an Emirates EK 566 flight from Dubai on March 3 at 6:30 pm, was intercepted by DRI officers at the airport.
Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport in a gold smuggling case, claimed she did not have anything to declare at the green channel, but the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said the metal detector flagged something on her.
According to an India Today report, the DRI arrest memo claimed Rao failed to provide proof of purchase or declaration for gold worth ₹12.56 crore recovered from her.
HT cannot independently verify this information.
A green channel at an airport is a customs lane for the passengers who do not have any dutiable or prohibited goods to declare.
The arrest memo stated that Ranya Rao, who arrived in Bengaluru on an Emirates EK 566 flight from Dubai on March 3 at 6:30 pm, was intercepted by DRI officers at the airport.
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While attempting to pass through the green channel, the actor denied carrying any dutiable goods, gold or contraband. But a metal detector alerted the DRI officers to the presence of concealed items on her person.
According to rules, if a traveller has dutiable or prohibited goods, he or she must go through the red channel and declare them to the customs officers. The customs will check the items, then calculate any applicable duty (tax), and allow passage only after paying the appropriate duty.
‘Ranya Rao wrapped gold bars around her waist’: DRI arrest memo
The DRI arrest memo stated that Rao had wrapped the gold bars around her waist and calves with bandages and tissues. She hid the additional gold bars and cut pieces in her shoes and front pockets.
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The recovered gold was confirmed to be 24-karat and weighed 14.2 kg, valued at more than ₹12.56 crore, according to a government-approved valuer who certified the purity and value. The items were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, the arrest memo read.
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After her arrest, the DRI officials carried out a search at her residence on Bengaluru's Lavelle Road, where her husband Jatin Hukkeri, was present.
The search led to the seizure of cash amounting to ₹2.67 crore, additional jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and some incriminating documents, according to the arrest memo.
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The records from the Dubai Customs (dated November 13, 2024, and December 20, 2024) revealed that Ranya Rao had purchased gold in Dubai, declared it for travel to Geneva, but instead diverted her journey to India.
She failed to explain the source of the seized cash and jewellery, raising further suspicion about her involvement in a larger smuggling network, the DRI stated.
