Ranya Rao case: ED raids multiple locations in Bengaluru 

ED joins probe into gold smuggling case involving Kannada actor Ranya Rao, raids multiple locations in Bengaluru.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has joined the probe into the gold smuggling case involving Kannada film actor Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of Director General of Police K. Ramachandra Rao. It raided multiple locations linked to the accused in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Ranya Rao was caught red-handed trying to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR on March 7. Now, ED has joined the probe, even as the State government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe misuse of the State police and the possible role of Mr. Rao.

On Thursday, ED raided the residences of Ranya on Lavelle Road and Tarun Raj (grandson of the owner of a star hotel) on Kumara Park East Road — both arrested by DRI in the case. ED also raided the residence and premises linked to the owner of a gold mortgage and loan company in Koramangala over alleged transactions that have raised suspicions over the laundering of smuggled gold.

Meanwhile, DRI searched the residence of Ms. Rao’s husband, Jatin Hukkeri, in Koramangala, sources said. The High Court of Karnataka recently directed DRI not to take coercive action against him.

DRI had recovered ₹2.67 crore cash and jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore from the residence of Ranya, for which she failed to show source or receipts, DRI said in her arrest memo. Even as the actor has been claiming that she was only a mule who carried the gold consignment handed over to her by a person unknown to her, ED is probing whether she was involved in the trade of the smuggled gold — buying in Dubai and selling it here in India. If so, ED will also probe the source of the money and the mode of transaction from India to Dubai.