Actor Ranya Rao Caught Smuggling 14 Kg Gold at Bengaluru Airport

Bengaluru: Actress Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer, was just moments away from exiting the Kempegowda International Airport when officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted her, seizing gold bars worth ₹12 crore that she was allegedly smuggling.

The 33-year-old actress, known for her debut in the 2014 Kannada film Maanikya, had arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight on Monday. Reports suggest that two associates accompanying her were carrying the smuggled gold in briefcases. They had almost cleared security when a DRI team, acting on specific intelligence, stopped them for a search.

Massive Gold Haul & Arrest

Seizure at the Airport:

• Gold bars weighing 14.2 kg were cleverly concealed on her person.

• Valued at ₹12.56 crore, the contraband was seized under the Customs Act, 1962.

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

Raid at Her Bengaluru Home:

• DRI officials searched her Lavelle Road residence, where she lives with her husband.

• Seized gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash.

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Total Seizure:₹17.29 crore—one of the biggest gold smuggling busts at Bengaluru airport in recent times.

Following the seizure, Ranya Rao was arrested and remanded to judicial custody under the Customs Act, 1962.

Frequent Gulf Trips Raised Suspicion

Reports indicate that Ranya Rao's frequent short visits to Gulf countries put her under the DRI's radar, leading to the operation.

Family Background

Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer. Her stepfather had remarried after his first wife's passing, and Ranya is one of two daughters from her mother's previous marriage.

This high-profile bust marks a major crackdown on organized gold smuggling networks in India.