The anti-smuggling agency DRI informed a court that Ranya Rao has confessed to transferring funds via hawala for the acquisition of gold smuggling. Rao was apprehended earlier this month at Bengaluru airport with 14.8 kg of gold. Throughout the proceedings on Tuesday, DRI advocate Madhu Rao stated that authorities had issued a notice under Section 108. It was to initiate a judicial inquiry against the actor. This investigation goals to evaluate the extent of economic irregularities and any potential legal violations.
Ranya Rao Confesses Smuggling Gold Through Hawala
Ranya Rao’s bail plea has been rejected twice. It was rejected once by a lower court and again by the Special Court for Economic Offences. The arguments for the most recent bail plea hearing have concluded, and the court has reserved its order for March 27. On March 3, the 31-year-old actor was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, where authorities seized gold bars value Rs 12.56 crore from her. Subsequent searches of her residence reportedly uncovered gold jewelry valued at Rs 2.06 crore and money amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
Ranya Rao’s Travel History
The DRI’s assertion regarding Ranya Rao’s confession surfaced just days after they claimed to have evidence of her and her friend Tarun Raju making 26 trips to Dubai. They might depart within the morning and return by evening. Tarun is an actor and co-accused within the gold-smuggling case. He received money transferred from Ranya’s account. He had tickets booked for these trips from Dubai to Hyderabad, authorities revealed.
It’s believed that these frequent same-day return journeys could have been utilized for smuggling gold into India. One other concerning detail is Ranya Rao’s 52 trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025, with 45 of them being single-day round trips. Notably, in January 2025, Rao visited Dubai 27 times, passing through Bengaluru, Goa, and Mumbai.
About Ranya Rao Probe
Ranya Rao was apprehended on March 3 on the Bengaluru airport. After a radical personal search revealed gold bars hidden round her waist and calves, wrapped in bandages and tissues. Additional gold bars and cut pieces were also discovered in her shoes and front pockets. The recovered gold, which was 24 carats, weighed 14.2 kg and is valued at over Rs 12.56 crore.
Rao has been charged under the Customs Act and the Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act. A Protocol Officer who assisted the actor indicated to investigators that he acted under specific instructions from DGP Ramchandra Rao, Ranya’s stepfather. He has since been placed on compulsory leave amid the growing scandal surrounding the gold-smuggling case.
