Ranya Rao got duped of ₹2cr in first smuggling attempt
What's the story
Kannada actress Ranya Rao and her associate Tarun Konduru Raju were cheated of ₹2 crore by a Ugandan gold agent, according to anonymous officials cited by Hindustan Times. The agent had reportedly promised them a direct supply of gold from Africa, before they could buy it in Dubai and smuggle it to India. The details are part of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet in a gold smuggling case involving Rao and Raju.
Smuggling scheme
Initial steps to procure gold
The ED's charge sheet revealed that Rao and Raju had initially tried to source gold from African countries like Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. They had set up a company named Vira Diamonds Trading LLC in Dubai for this purpose, where Raju was an equal partner. The duo hired a Uganda-based agent named Ben for an initial 5kg trial order, paying around $25,000 upfront, along with two additional payments for taxes and fees worth $10,000 each.
Scam revelation
When the agent started demanding money
When the gold was not delivered as promised, Raju traveled to Kampala on January 1, 2024, to meet the agent. At a refinery in Kampala, he was shown gold but asked for an additional payment of ₹1.70 crore to release the consignment. It was then that Raju realized it was a scam, and they had lost over ₹2 crore.
New approach
They changed their strategy after being duped
After being duped in Uganda, Rao and Raju changed their strategy. They started buying gold from local African dealers in Dubai's Deira gold souk instead of importing directly from African mines. By early 2024, they found suppliers who sold limited quantities at discounts on African-origin gold already available in Dubai. These suppliers insisted on cash payments and refused bank transfers, typical of illegal bullion trades.
Smuggling tactics
How they planned to smuggle the gold into India
The ED charge sheet detailed how Rao and Raju devised a method to smuggle gold into India without detection. Raju, who held a US passport, would pose as an exporter of gold to third countries by filing false customs declarations with Dubai Customs. These declarations were meant to mislead authorities, as the gold was never intended for the declared destinations but was handed over to Rao at Dubai airport for smuggling into India.