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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Can't say when I'll return to India; legally barred from leaving UK: Mallya to Bombay HC
Mumbai (PTI): Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, facing multiple cases of fraud and money laundering, told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that he cannot say when he will return to India as he is legally barred from leaving the UK.
In a statement submitted through his counsel Amit Desai to the high court, Mallya said he did not have an active passport after it was revoked and hence, he cannot give a definite date of return to India.
The statement was submitted after a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad made it clear last week that it would not hear Mallya's plea against the order declaring a fugitive economic offender until he returns to India.
The court had then asked the former liquor to clarify whether or not he intended to return to India.
Mallya, based in the United Kingdom since 2016, has filed two petitions in the HC -- one challenging an order declaring him a fugitive economic offender and the other questioning the constitutional validity of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.
The 70-year-old liquor baron is accused of defaulting on multiple loan repayments of several thousand crores and facing money laundering charges.
The businessman, in his statement to HC, said he cannot give a definite date for his return as he does not have his Indian passport, which was revoked by the government in 2016, and also because there are orders of courts in England and Wales that prohibit him from leaving the country.
"Mallya is not permitted to leave or attempt to leave England and Wales or apply for or be in possession of any international travel document. In any event, the petitioner is unable to precisely state when he will return to India," Desai read out the statement in the court.
The senior counsel reiterated that Mallya's presence was not required in the country for the court to hear his pleas against the fugitive tag and the provisions of the Act.
"If he (Mallya) were to appear in India, then all these proceedings would be rendered irrelevant as the statute says that once the offender appears in the concerned court of law, then all these orders would be set aside," Desai told the court.
The bench directed the Union government to file its reply to Mallya's statement and posted the matter for further hearing next month.
Mallya was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender in January 2019 by a special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The businessman left India in March 2016.
