Court rejects Ranya Rao’s bail plea, Gaurav Gupta Committee begins probe

Special Court denies bail to Ranya Rao for gold smuggling; investigation into international syndicate continues, involving actor Tarun Raju.

The Special Court for Economic Offences on Friday dismissed the bail petition of Ranya Rao, who was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after she was caught smuggling 14.2 kg of gold at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3.

DRI had objected to her bail plea arguing that the case possibly involved an international smuggling syndicate, which was yet to be completely unravelled, and Ranya Rao was not cooperating with the probe. DRI had argued that releasing her on bail may cause a setback to the probe as other accused, yet to be identified, may close their trails and lead to destruction of evidence.

At the same court, Tarun Raju, another accused arrested in the case by DRI on March 12, was produced and was remanded in 14 days judicial custody. His three-day police custody ended on Friday. Tarun Raju, also an actor in the Telugu film industry and the grandson of a prominent hotelier in the city, was a close associate of Ranya Rao and was allegedly involved in the smuggling of gold and laundering it, sources said.

Meanwhile, the inquiry committee led by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, probing misuse of police protocol services and the role of Ranya’s stepfather Director General of Police K. Ramachandra Rao in the case, began its investigation on Friday.

The committee is learnt to have served a notice to Mr. Rao to appear before them to record his statement. Meanwhile, Mr. Rao has reportedly gone on leave. He is presently posted as Managing Director, Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

Mr. Gupta and Vamsi Krishna, Deputy Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Department, visited KIA for a spot inspection on Friday. The team studied the system of customs checks at the airport and what privileges, if any, Ranya Rao got because she was being escorted by police personnel of the International Airport police station during most of her checkouts.

The committee recorded the statements of two personnel - head constable Basavaraj of the International Airport Police Station and Dhanush Kumar, a constable with the State Intelligence - who had been with Ranya Rao when she was intercepted by the DRI. In his statement to DRI, Basavaraj had said that like many other IPS officers did, Mr. Rao had asked him to provide escort services to his family members during arrival and departure at KIA and as per this, he had earlier too provided the service to Ranya Rao and on March 3, she called and sought his services, following which he went and helped her during check out. He said he was not aware that she was carrying contraband material on her. Dhanush Kumar was not assigned to the job but had accompanied Basavaraj, a friend.