Stepdaughter of top cop arrested in ₹102cr gold smuggling
Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who's also the stepdaughter of Karnataka's top cop Ramachandra Rao, was arrested after customs officers found about 14.2kg of concealed gold on her; she was later named in an investigation that alleges a wider smuggling operation involving roughly 127.29kg of gold (valued at about ₹102.55 crore).
She was caught at Bengaluru airport after flying in from Dubai, following a tip-off about her suspected role in a major gold smuggling ring.
Details of the investigation
Investigators say Ranya made approximately 15 trips between March 2024 and March 2025, using fake paperwork to reroute gold shipments meant for other destinations like Geneva.
The gold was then passed on to handlers and jewelers in India, with profits moved through secretive hawala channels and disguised bank transfers.
The Enforcement Directorate has charged her and two others with money laundering, while the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence hit her with a ₹102 crore fine and the Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth ₹34.12 crore.
She has been reported to be lodged at Bengaluru Central Prison while authorities dig deeper into her travel history and alleged misuse of official privileges.