Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, March 12: The Karnataka BJP has accused the Congress-led state government of being directly involved in the gold smuggling case connected to Kannada actress Ranya Rao.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, made these allegations in Bengaluru, stating, "Ranya Rao was always escorted in a police jeep. After the gold smuggling incident, she was given a lift in a police vehicle to her residence. Our charge is that the Congress-led government is directly involved in the case."
Ashoka went on to question, "How was she (Ranya Rao) granted protocol and escort services? All these aspects need to be investigated. The government is in a position of guilt. The case is already being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Let them conduct an unbiased probe, and any ministers involved in this racket should be punished."
Reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement that no minister is involved in the gold smuggling case and that the allegations are politically motivated, Ashoka responded, "Who is Shivakumar to give a clean chit to a minister before the probe? This also implies that Shivakumar is influencing the authorities to exonerate the accused. How can anyone be cleared before the investigation is completed?"
Ashoka also stated that investigations indicate ministerial involvement, adding that public sentiment supports these claims. "If no one is involved, why is there talk of a clean chit? This appears to be a ploy to steer the police investigation in a certain direction," he alleged.
BJP general secretary and MLA V Sunil Kumar accused the state government of attempting to suppress the Ranya Rao case. "The Home Minister claims he knows nothing about the gold smuggling case. Where was the gold brought to Bengaluru airport supposed to go? Was it meant for Sadashivanagar locality or Chamarajpet in Bengaluru?" he questioned.
Sunil Kumar further alleged a systematic attempt to close the case, saying, "For four days, reports have suggested the involvement of two ministers. How did an actress, who is also the daughter of an IPS officer, receive the same protocol privileges as Cabinet Ministers? The government is directly involved. It must be revealed whom the jailed actress contacted while in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)."
He likened the Congress government's situation to the Kerala gold smuggling scandal, stating, "The Congress government is slowly getting entrapped in the gold smuggling case just like the Kerala government."
State BJP president and MLA B Y Vijayendra remarked, "There is no smoke without fire. It is impossible to smuggle gold on this scale without political backing. This is a serious matter."
In response to the BJP’s allegations, State Labour Welfare Minister Santhosh Lad countered, "Who is controlling the airport? Were they asleep when the gold was being smuggled? How was the protocol violation allowed inside the airport? Where did the gold come from? Let the CBI investigate all aspects of this case."
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge challenged BJP leaders to name the ministers allegedly involved in the gold smuggling case. He also referenced earlier allegations made by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who claimed that State BJP President B Y Vijayendra frequently visits Dubai and has made significant investments there.
Kharge said, "Let them (BJP) provide information, and the government will take action. They (BJP) should stop making baseless accusations."
Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara briefed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on developments in the case. Following the briefing, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a private 20-minute meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar regarding the case, which is threatening to damage the government’s image, sources confirmed.
Under increasing pressure, the Karnataka government has handed over the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and ordered a probe by a senior IAS officer against DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, the stepfather of arrested actress Ranya Rao.
Ranya Rao was arrested on charges of gold smuggling and misusing her father Ramachandra Rao’s name to evade security checks by availing herself of the protocol reserved for high-ranking officials.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials arrested Ranya Rao after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at the Bengaluru International Airport. The agency also seized Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her upscale Lavelle Road flat, where she reportedly paid Rs 4.5 lakh in rent.
Karnataka DGP for State Police Housing Corporation, Ramachandra Rao, responding to the arrest of his stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, said he was devastated and caught unaware by this development.