Gold smuggling case: Actress Ranya Rao remanded to 3 days in DRI custody
Bengaluru, Mar 7 (PTI): A special court for economic offences on Friday granted the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence three days’ custody of actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport earlier this week for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai.
The DRI sought her custodial interrogation to investigate the source of the smuggled gold and its intended recipients, suggesting a possible link to "anti-national activities". The court agreed to the request, allowing further inquiry into the case.
During the hearing, the DRI submitted a statement obtained from the actress to support its request for her custody.
Investigators revealed that Rao, identified in her passport as Harshavardini Ranya, had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last six months, raising concerns about the nature of these frequent visits.
Following her arrest, she reportedly claimed to be working as a freelancer in Dubai’s real estate sector.
ALSO READ: DGP Ramachandra Rao denies knowledge of stepdaughter's involvement in gold smuggling
While Rao applied for bail on Thursday, the court deferred its decision to prioritise the DRI’s custody request.
According to DRI officials, gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from the 34-year-old actress at Kempegowda International Airport. Subsequent searches at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
Rao is the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao. The DGP-rank officer is currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, according to a senior police official.
The total seizure in the case stood at Rs 17.29 crore, including assets worth Rs 4.73 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks.
The 14.2 kg haul is one of the largest gold seizures at Bengaluru airport in recent times, officials claimed.
Investigators had been monitoring Rao’s movements for some time due to her frequent international travel.
Officials are also investigating whether she had similarly smuggled gold in the past.
She allegedly often used VIP channels at Bengaluru airport, where a protocol official would receive her, allowing her to clear security checks with ease.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
