COFEPOSA Act invoked against Ranya Rao
Preventive detention
The order issued by Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, COFEPOSA Wing, CEIB on April 22, 2025, says the law has been invoked against Ranya Rao 'with a view to preventing her from smuggling goods, engaging in transporting, concealing and keeping smuggled goods in future.' The law provides for preventive detention without bail for one year.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) that arrested Ranya Rao at KIA is the sponsoring agency for invoking COFEPOSA Act, 1974, against her, sources said. This move from the DRI comes when the sessions court has reserved its order on her bail plea.
The case of invoking COFEPOSA Act, 1974, against Ranya Rao will come up before the advisory board of the High Court of Karnataka within the next three months and the board has to approve the same, for Ranya Rao to be detained under the law.
Gold trader's role
During its probe into the case, DRI arrested a gold trader from Ballari, Sahil Sakariya Jain, who was arrested and released in a gold smuggling case earlier, for allegedly aiding and abetting Ranya Rao in not only disposing of the smuggled gold but also sending money through hawala to Dubai to buy gold.
Through him alone, Ranya Rao is alleged to have smuggled 49.6 kg of gold worth ₹40.13 crore. Jain transferred ₹38.39 crore to Dubai, purportedly to import gold to Dubai and ₹1.73 crore to Ranya Rao in Bengaluru, purportedly as her share of profits after selling the smuggled gold, through hawala transactions.
However, Ranya Rao's links with Jain started in November, 2024. She made 23 trips to Dubai between 2023 and March, 2025. Her other transactions are also being probed.
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