False custom papers, hawala channels used: ED attaches actor Ranya's assets worth over Rs 34 cr

Indian Express

14 hours ago

Assets worth over Rs 34 crore of Kannada actor Ranya Rao were attached by the ED in connection with a gold smuggling-linked money laundering case while the central agency said Friday that false customs declarations were filed in Dubai, declaring the destination of gold shipments as Switzerland or the US, but in fact it was for India.
The ED said it has provisionally attached immovable properties located in Bengaluru and Tumakuru districts valued at Rs 34.12 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED said, 'The attachments have been made in terms of Section 5(1) of PMLA as property equivalent in value to the untraced proceeds of crime identified during the course of investigation.'
On March 3, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Rao from the airport on her arrival from Dubai and recovered 14.2 kg of gold bars valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore from her possession. On March 9, the DRI arrested Telugu actor Tarun Konduru, Rao's accomplice.
In a statement, the ED said, 'Ranya Rao, in active collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation for smuggling gold into India. Gold was procured from suppliers based in Dubai, Uganda, and other jurisdictions, and payments were made through hawala channels in cash, thereby circumventing legal financial systems.'
'False customs declarations were filed in Dubai, fraudulently declaring the destination of gold shipments as Switzerland or the USA, while the actual travel of the gold smugglers was to India. Dual sets of travel documents were used i.e. one for the declared export destination and the other for their actual arrival in India, to evade scrutiny and facilitate smuggling through Indian airports,' the agency said.
According to the ED, the probe revealed that the smuggled gold was then sold in India to jewellers and other local entities, and the proceeds laundered through hawala remittances abroad to finance repeat consignments for smuggling more gold into India.
'Evidence retrieved from the seized mobile phones and forensic extraction of digital devices, have revealed detailed coordination with foreign gold suppliers, hawala operators, and Dubai-based customs agents. Ranya Rao's involvement in generating, possessing, and circulating proceeds of crime was further corroborated by her digital footprint, which includes invoices, export declarations, foreign remittance records, and recorded chats establishing her active role in the smuggling syndicate,' the agency said.
'It has also emerged during investigation that Ranya Rao was assisted at the airport upon her arrival in India, and the possible involvement of public servants in facilitating her illicit activities is under scrutiny,' the ED said.