Two youngsters in possession of lethal weapons held in Mysuru; Seven booked
Mysuru: Kuvempunagar Police have taken two students, aged 19 and 25, into custody for the possession of lethal weapons. The authorities also seized the two weapons along with a car from the arrested individuals. The detainees have been identified as Samarth (25), a resident of Ramakrishna Nagar D Block, and Utsav (19), residing in Giri Darshini Layout.
Reportedly, the apprehended students, along with their friends Rahul, Manoj, Darshan, and Abhi, were allegedly carrying a weapon in their vehicle with the intention of intimidating another individual named Merdin. Acting upon a tip-off that a group of individuals within a car was displaying suspicious behavior, a patrolling officer near the Kuvempunagar complex, accompanied by a constable, arrived at the scene.
Upon police approach, some of the young individuals managed to flee the scene. However, Samarth and Utsav were successfully apprehended. During the subsequent questioning, the detained individuals admitted to carrying the weapons with the intent of intimidating Merdin.
The Kuvempunagar Police Station has filed a case against the duo, Samarth and Utsav, while also initiating an FIR against seven other individuals involved in the incident.
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Gold smuggling case: Judicial custody of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, two others extended until Apr 21
Bengaluru, Apr 07 (PTI): A court here on Monday extended the judicial custody of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, and two others until April 21 in connection with a gold smuggling case. Ranya, businessman Tarun Raju, and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain are accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India.
The case came to light on March 3, 2025, when Rao alias Harshavardhani Ranya was apprehended at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai. Subsequent investigations revealed that Ranya had made 45 solo trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025, raising suspicions of her involvement in a broader smuggling network.
Further scrutiny uncovered her association with Vira Diamonds Trading, a Dubai-based firm she co-founded in 2023 with actor and businessman Tarun Raju. Authorities allege that this company was used as a front for smuggling operations. Raju, also known as Virat Konduru, was arrested following evidence of his involvement in purchasing gold in Dubai and facilitating its illegal transport to India.
Investigations also implicated jeweller Sahil Jain, who is suspected of assisting Ranya in selling approximately 49 kilograms of smuggled gold valued at over Rs 40 crore. Jain allegedly managed hawala transactions, transferring significant sums to Dubai, and received commissions for his role in the operations.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has presented substantial evidence linking the accused to the smuggling activities. The court previously denied bail to Raju, citing the serious nature of the economic offense and potential flight risk due to his frequent international travel history.
