State police Protocol Officer was used in gold smuggling: DRI to the court
Ranya Rao gold smuggling case
Bengaluru(PTI): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has stated in the court that the Karnataka Police Protocol Officer was used in the gold smuggling racket involving actress Ranya Rao.
In its argument against giving bail to Ranya, the central agency told the Special Court for Economic Offences that the accused had travelled to Dubai 27 times since January this year.
Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP rank officer K Ramachandra Rao, the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
"The investigation till date has unearthed the sophisticated methodology used in smuggling the gold, usage of State Police Protocol Officer to bypass security, Hawala Transaction to transfer the funds from India to Dubai to purchase gold, involvement of larger syndicate," the DRI contended.
After these arguments, the court declined bail to Ranya on Friday.
Judge Vishwanath C Gowdar, who presided over the Special Court for Economic Offences, took note of DRI's contentions.
"In the case on hand, the accused No 1 (Ranya) possessing Resident Identity Card of UAE and having history of traveled to Dubai on 27 occasions since January 2025, is another factor which does not incline the court to extend discretionary relief of granting bail to accused," the Court said while rejecting her bail petition.
The DRI also said the investigation was under progress to examine international links.
It stated that Ranya had not cooperated during the investigation in the custody.
"It is also specifically contended that the alleged offence is cognizable, non-bailable, and punishable with imprisonment up to seven years," the court observed in its order copy.
The DRI pointed out that the offence committed in this case has serious ramifications affecting the fabric of Indian economy and security.
The Court said, "The remand applications placed on record at this stage of proceedings, disclose the conspiracy hatched by the accused No1 (Ranya) by colluding with State Police Protocol Officer".
"The arguments of the complainant Agency as to the usage of Hawala transaction for transfer of money from India to Dubai and also the International links being forthcoming as per the preliminary investigation is also a factor which inclines this court to hold the accused."
The Judge also said that the accused is capable to manipulate and tamper the evidences as well as witnesses, which consequently hampers the very trial in the case on hand.
"The apprehension of the complainant as to the accused No.1 will throttle the witnesses and flee away from the process of court cannot be ruled out at this juncture," the court observed.
It further stated that prima facie at this juncture, the allegations against Ranya are very much forthcoming and the concealment of the gold by her in the form of gold bars while traveling is very much transpiring her intention.
Gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport here on March 3 upon her arrival from Dubai, following which searches were conducted at her residence and officials said that gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash were also recovered.
Besides DRI, the Enforcement Directorate as well as the CBI are also probing the matter simultaneously.
In addition, the Karnataka government on March 10 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 Ranya.
The government had also ordered CID to investigate lapses and dereliction of duty by the police officers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru.
However, within hours of passing the order, it was withdrawn.
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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.
