Gold smuggling case: Rejecting ministers' links an attempt to influence probe, says BJP
Bengaluru, Mar 11 (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, on Tuesday said that rejecting reports about two ministers having links to the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao even before the investigation is completed is an attempt to influence the probe.
The BJP leader was reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement on Monday rejecting reports linking ministers with the gold smuggling case, calling them 'political gossip'.
"Investigating agency should say whether the involvement (of two ministers) is there or not. Even before the probe, if clean-chit is given, what value will the investigation agency have? Is a message being sent to the investigating agency to give a clean-chit?" Ashok asked.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "There are reports in the media about two ministers' involvement. People believe such things. The CBI is also investigating the case, and the state government has also ordered a probe. Even before the investigation if a clean-chit is given, this shows how the Congress runs the administration."
"...whether there is any wrongdoing (on the part of ministers) or not, should be said by the investigating agency. Even before that, if the government says such things, it looks like an attempt to influence the investigation," he added.
Ranya Rao, 34, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, and gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her.
The next day, the DRI said it seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru.
Ranya is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-ranked police officer presently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in this case.
The Karnataka government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe the role of Ramachandra Rao, if any, in the alleged gold smuggling activity of his step daughter.
The government also ordered a CID investigation into alleged lapses and dereliction of duty of police officers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru.
Ranya is accused of smuggling gold, allegedly misusing protocol privileges.
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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.
