Bengaluru, Mar 10 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivbakumar on Monday rejected reports that claim two ministers have links to the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao and termed the reportsa as "political gossips".

He also said that the state government has nothing to do with the case as central agencies are investigating it.

The deputy CM also said, "No minister is involved, we don't know anything. It is all political gossip. Investigating officers will investigate in accordance with the law. We have nothing to do with it," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The central government is investigating, let them do it."

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.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has arrested a 22-year-old man who allegedly stole cash, a laptop and a mobile phone from his uncle's shop in Dwarka to take revenge after he was fired from the family business, officials said on Wednesday.

Piyush Tulswani, the accused, completed his Class 11 from Rajasthan's Pilani, after which he came back to live with his family, a senior police officer said.

His father, Kishan Tulswani, used to work as a sales manager at his uncle Jeetu's confectionery shops. After the death of his father, Piyush took up his position, the officer said.

Soon, Piyush started embezzling money from the shops, and was fired after Jeetu took note of the act, police said.

His mother also reprimanded him for embezzling money, after which Piyush left home and started living with his friend, the officer said.

Piyush hatched a plot to steal money from his uncle’s shops, which he knew well. Acting on his plan, he took his brother's scooter and broke open each shop, stealing cash, a laptop and a mobile phone.

On January 31, Jeetu reported the matter to police, accusing Piyush of committing burglaries at his shops located in Sector-18, Sector-11, Sector-12 and Sector-4, Dwarka, the officer said.

Jeetu also provided CCTV camera footage from the shops, in which Piyush could be seen breaking them open, he said.

Tracing his mobile phone locations to Safdarjang, Hauz Khas, Rajapuri and Dabri, police conducted several raids.

“He later switched off his phone to restrict access to his location,” the officer said.

On February 13, police received information that Piyush would come to the fruit mandi in Dabri around 9.30 am. Accordingly, a trap was laid, leading to the arrest of the accused, he said.

Initially, he did not confess to the crime, but when police showed him the CCTV clips, he admitted to committing the burglaries, the officer said.