Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, March 6: Karnataka DGP for the State Police Housing Corporation, K. Ramachandra Rao, expressed his shock and devastation on Thursday following the arrest of his step-daughter, actress Ranya Rao, who has been jailed on charges of involvement in a gold smuggling operation.
Ranya Rao, the first daughter of DGP Ramachandra Rao’s second wife, was arrested after 14.8 kg of gold was seized from her at Bengaluru International Airport. The arrest sparked suspicions regarding the role of DGP Rao, as investigations suggested that Ranya had allegedly misused her father’s position to bypass security checks and used a police escort from the airport to her residence.
However, DGP Ramachandra Rao strongly denied any involvement in the case and stated that he was completely unaware of his daughter’s alleged criminal activities. "I was shocked and devastated when the incident came to my notice through the media. I was unaware of my daughter’s involvement in alleged smuggling activities. No words can truly express the depth of my shock, pain, and devastation following the turn of events. I have always upheld my integrity. I request fairness from the public and media,” he said.
He further clarified that Ranya had been living separately with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, since 2024, following their marriage. "Ranya stopped visiting us, and we were not allowed to visit her. There was a clear and definitive separation between us and them. If there is any violation from Ranya, the law will take its own course. I do not have any black mark in my entire career," he added.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has sought Ranya Rao’s custody from the court to investigate her role in a larger gold smuggling syndicate. She is currently in judicial custody and has filed a bail petition in the local court. The DRI has requested custody of Ranya from March 9 to 11 to further probe the case and uncover the involvement of other individuals connected to the syndicate.
According to DRI sources, Ranya Rao was allegedly used as a "delivery girl" in the gold smuggling operation, and the agency is keen to investigate where the gold was meant to be delivered. Ranya has reportedly claimed that she was blackmailed and coerced into transporting the gold, adding that this was the first time she had been involved in such an activity.
However, sources also revealed that Ranya had been under surveillance for some time due to her frequent trips to Dubai, raising suspicions about her activities.
The DRI had seized 14.8 kg of gold from Ranya Rao at Bengaluru International Airport on Monday. Following her arrest, the DRI raided her residence on Lavelle Road and recovered Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash. Authorities also discovered that she had paid Rs 4.5 lac in rent for her upscale apartment.