Ranya Rao breaks down in court as DRI indicates she’s part of gold smuggling syndicate: ‘Undergoing mental trauma’

Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was recently arrested for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold, was crying in the courtroom on Friday and told her lawyers that she cannot sleep and was having mental trauma.

When brought in the court by the security officials, her face was having dark circles around her eyes.

While talking to her lawyers, she broke down and said: “I keep thinking why did I get into it. My mind keeps going back to the day at the airport. I cannot sleep…I am having mental trauma,” reported The Indian Express.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has told the special court that Rao was part of a gold smuggling syndicate.

The DRI in its affidavit said the actress tried to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold valued at ₹12.56 crore by concealing the gold on her person, and trying to evade customs duty to the tune of ₹4.83 crore.

The court observed that the DRI investigation revealed “the existence of a syndicate to commit an offence by misusing the protocols”.

It also noted that the alleged modus operandi used by the actress to smuggle the 14.2 kg of gold illegally into India was “by wrapping the gold bars with the help of crepe bandage and tissues around her body parts”.

The special court for economic offences on Friday granted the DRI three days’ custody of Rao, who was detained at Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai on March 3.

Investigators revealed that Ranya (identified in her passport as Harshavardini Ranya) had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last six months, raising concerns about the purpose of these frequent visits.

The DRI requested the court for Rao’s custodial interrogation to confront her with forensic extracts from her mobile phone and laptops.

The court said that the DRI was justified in its claim and “also to investigate regarding the involvement of a syndicate and misuse of protocols”.

Rao is the stepdaughter of a DGP-rank IPS officer in Karnataka, K Ramachandra Rao, who is currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The actress has said in court that she lives with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, an architect, in Bengaluru.