Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 6: Karnataka Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad assured on Thursday that all individuals involved in the gold smuggling case, which led to the arrest of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, will be held accountable.
Addressing reporters at Vidhana Soudha, MLA Rizwan expressed shock over the actress’s alleged involvement, especially given reports that she is the stepdaughter of an IPS officer. He emphasized that the government is taking the matter seriously and will ensure a thorough investigation to identify all those linked to the case.
“Regardless of their social or political status, everyone involved will be brought to justice,” he stated.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended Ranya Rao at Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night, seizing 14.8 kg of smuggled gold from her. Authorities had been monitoring her due to her frequent travel to Dubai, where she allegedly operated as part of a smuggling network. Following her arrest, she was remanded to judicial custody.
Commenting on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s remarks that Pakistan vacating Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) would resolve the Kashmir dispute, MLA Rizwan stated that while Congress would welcome the integration of PoK with India, the government must also address the ongoing territorial concerns with China.
He accused the central government of ignoring Chinese encroachments in Ladakh while making strong statements about PoK. “Before reclaiming PoK, take back the thousands of square kilometers lost to China in the last few years. The Chinese government is even constructing villages along and inside Indian territory,” he asserted.
On the issue of illegal immigration, MLA Rizwan clarified that the Congress government has taken steps to identify and deport illegal immigrants, including those from Pakistan and Bangladesh. He countered BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s allegations that Karnataka could turn into West Bengal due to unchecked migration, stating that the influx of illegal immigrants occurred during the BJP’s tenure.
“When we took office, we began identifying and deporting illegal immigrants as per the law,” he stated, dismissing BJP’s claims as politically motivated rhetoric.