17-07-2025
Ranya Rao, two other accused sentenced to one-year jail in gold smuggling case
Kannada actor Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year in jail in connection with a gold smuggling case, following an order passed by the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Advisory board's decision also applies to two other accused, Tarun Kondaru Raju and Sahil Jain, along with Ranya to the directive, all three have been denied the right to apply for bail during the one-year duration of imprisonment. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) served the COFEPOSA order on Rao on May
In response, her mother, Rohini, had filed a habeas corpus petition before the High Court of Karnataka on June 3. The COFEPOSA Advisory Board, acting under Section 8 of the Act, reviewed the case after authorities had issued the original detention order under COFEPOSA. The board examined the petition and verified the evidence and details provided in the COFEPOSA advisory board concluded that all legal procedures were followed and that there was sufficient evidence to justify Rao's preventive detention. Hearings in the matter will be held once every three months and will continue for up to one March 3, 2025, Ranya Rao was caught at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport with 14.213 kg of concealed 24-carat gold worth Rs 12.56 crore.A subsequent search of her residence led to the seizure of Rs 2.67 crore in unaccounted cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 revealed that Rao, in collusion with her associates Tarun Konduru Raju and Sahil Jain, operated a sophisticated syndicate smuggling gold from suppliers in Dubai, Uganda, and other were made through hawala channels, bypassing formal financial systems. The syndicate filed false export declarations in Dubai, misrepresenting shipment destinations as Switzerland or the USA, while couriers traveled to India carrying the gold using dual sets of travel documents.- Ends
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