Gold smuggling case: Kannada actress Ranya Rao alleges assault, forced signatures by DRI
Bengaluru, Mar 15 (PTI): Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, key accused in the gold smuggling case, has alleged that officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) assaulted her and forced her to sign blank and typed papers.
In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of the DRI in Bengaluru on March 6, Ranya claimed that a false case had been foisted on her.
She stated that she was wrongly accused of carrying more than 14 kg of gold upon her return from Dubai.
"Your officers did not permit me to explain that I am innocent in this matter," alleged Harshavardhini Ranya, also known as Ranya Rao.
The actress further claimed that from the time she was detained until she was produced before the court, she was slapped in the face 10 to 15 times.
"Despite repeated hitting and slapping, I refused to sign the statement they prepared."
She also alleged that she was forced to sign 50 to 60 typed papers and around 40 blank sheets.
"One of the officers told me, 'If you don’t sign, we will expose your father’s name and identity, even though we know he is not involved," the model-actor claimed.
Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K. Ramachandra Rao, who currently serves as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
She has also acted in films, including 'Maanikya'.
The DRI had earlier stated in a press release that gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 upon her arrival from Dubai.
Following searches at her residence, officials also recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
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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.
