Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao who was arrested in a gold smuggling case, has admitted to using hawala channels for purchases, the prosecution argued before a special court on Tuesday (March 25, 2025).
Meanwhile, the court reserved its order on the actress’ bail plea until March 27, following a detailed hearing of arguments from both the defence and the prosecution.
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According to the prosecution, Ms. Rao admitted to using hawala channels to facilitate gold purchases, a claim that strengthens the case against her.
During the proceedings, Ms. Rao’s counsel Kiran Jawali argued for her release, while the counsel appearing for the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Madhu Rao, presented evidence suggesting her direct role in the illicit transfer of funds.
As part of the legal process, officials have invoked Section 108 of the Customs Act, which mandates a judicial inquiry.
Authorities clarified that this is not a police interrogation but a judicial investigation to scrutinise financial irregularities and potential violations of law. The probe aims to uncover the depth of the illegal transactions and any further connections to the broader smuggling network.
Gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore were seized from Ranya, the step-daughter of DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 upon her arrival from Dubai.
Following this, searches were conducted at her residence, where officials recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore, the DRI had stated.
Later, the DGP-rank officer was sent on compulsory leave by the Karnataka government and was questioned in connection with the gold smuggling case.
Published – March 26, 2025 08:12 am IST
