The Karnataka High Court has denied bail to Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who remains in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison over her alleged involvement in a large-scale gold smuggling operation. Rao, arrested last month, faces charges under India’s stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), alongside two others — Telugu actor Tarun Konduru Raju and jeweler Sahil Sakariya Jain.
Previously, a Bengaluru sessions court had also rejected the bail application of Tarun, who was arrested as Ranya’s co-accused. Authorities say all three worked as a syndicate and are suspected to have smuggled at least 100 kg of gold into India since early 2024.
Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardhini Ranya, was detained on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport after arriving from Dubai with 14.2 kg of undeclared gold worth approximately ₹12.56 crore. Initially, Rao claimed she was coerced into acting as a courier, but investigations by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) revealed that her story was fabricated.
Further probe exposed that Rao and Tarun co-founded ‘Vira Diamonds Trading LLC’ in Dubai, through which they allegedly moved gold from Geneva and Bangkok to Dubai and smuggled it into India, evading customs duty. Evidence also showed they made 26 trips between India and Dubai within a year and used hawala networks to handle illicit financial transactions.
Tarun was arrested on March 11, while Sahil, a Bellary-based jeweler with a prior smuggling record, was detained on March 26. Sahil allegedly managed the sale of the smuggled gold and coordinated hawala transactions linked to the racket.
Raids on Ranya’s residence unearthed suspicious Dubai customs declarations and further proof of false documentation to route gold into India. Investigators also discovered that the syndicate had suffered a financial loss of ₹1.7 crore when a Dubai supplier failed to deliver gold despite payment via illegal channels.
Despite strong defense arguments, the Karnataka High Court sided with DRI’s claims that granting bail would interfere with the ongoing investigation into what officials describe as an “international smuggling racket.” The case is expected to proceed with charges under multiple laws, including the Customs Act and COFEPOSA.
