Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, March 10: Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M B Patil, announced on Monday that his department would investigate the involvement of BJP politicians in the allocation of 12 acres of land to Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested last week for her involvement in a gold smuggling case.
Ranya Rao, who was apprehended at Bengaluru International Airport last Monday while smuggling gold, is currently in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), with the case also being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Patil’s remarks follow media reports regarding the land allotment, which took place under the previous BJP government.
Patil explained, “I came to know about the allocation of 12 acres of land by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) to actress Ranya Rao in Sira, Tumakuru district, through the media. I have verified this with my officers. The land was allocated for a TMT factory and was given to Ranya Rao, her two brothers, and some partners in February 2023, during the previous BJP government.”
He added that he had requested further information from his department regarding the payment for the land and the progress of the project. “If the payment has not been made or the project has not been implemented within the stipulated time frame, the land will be reclaimed by the KIADB,” Patil stated. He further promised to provide more details by the evening and share them with the media.
When asked about the allegations raised by Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra, who claimed that Ranya Rao had attempted to contact a minister during her arrest, Patil responded, “I am not aware of this. If Vijayendra has such information, he should disclose which minister received the call.”
Congress MLA A S Ponanna, who is also the legal advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, responded to Vijayendra’s allegations regarding the land allotment. Ponanna pointed out that the land was allocated under the BJP government in 2023 and challenged Vijayendra to clarify his claims. “If B.Y. Vijayendra is suggesting that ministers were involved, he must come forward with the names of the ministers. Let him first clarify who is responsible for the land allotment,” he demanded.
Meanwhile, the KIADB confirmed that 12 acres of land had been allotted to M/s Ksiroda India Pvt. Ltd., a company associated with Ranya Rao, on January 2, 2023. The land, located in the Sira Industrial Area in Tumakuru district, was approved during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting, which was held while the BJP government was in power.
The company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for steel TMT bars, rods, and other related products, with an investment of Rs 138 crore. According to the KIADB CEO, Mahesh, the project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs in the region.
The issue has triggered a potential political controversy, as the ruling Congress and opposition BJP are likely to clash over the land allotment and the investigation into Ranya Rao’s activities.
In the gold smuggling case, Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardini Ranya, claimed in her statement to the DRI that she was a freelancer in the real estate sector in Dubai and had agreed to smuggle 17 bars of gold into India. She was arrested after DRI officials seized 14.8 kg of gold from her at Bengaluru International Airport last Monday.
Additionally, the DRI seized Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her Lavelle Road flat, where she was reportedly paying a monthly rent of Rs 4.5 lakh.
K. Ramachandra Rao, the Director General of Police for Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, who is the stepfather of Ranya Rao, expressed his shock over the arrest, stating, “I am devastated and caught unawares by this development.”