Latest news with #COFEPOSA)Act
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- The Hindu
Kannada actress Ranya Rao gets bail in gold smuggling case, but will stay in jail under COFEPOSA case
The Special Court of Economic Offences on Tuesday granted the statutory bail to gold smuggling suspects Kannada actor Ranya Rao and Tarun Konduru Raju. The court stated that the two were entitled to default bail on executing a personal bond of ₹2 lakh each along with two sureties each. The court further directed the two to appear before it on all dates of hearing without fail, not tamper with or hamper witnesses, co-operate with the investigation, not leave the country without prior permission from the court, and not commit similar offences in the future. Any violations of the conditions imposed by this court will result in the cancellation of bail, the order stated citing bail condition. Earlier in the month, the Ranya and Raju moved the court for the statutory bail after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to submit a charge sheet within 60 days of the probe. Ranya (33) was arrested on March 3 after she flew into Bengaluru from Dubai. According to the DRI, she was found carrying 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore on her person. Raju and Sahil Sakariya Jain, the third suspect and the jeweller from Ballari, were subsequently arrested. All three are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru. Even though she is granted bail, Ranya's release is unlikely since on April 22, the Centre had invoked the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act against all three, including Ranya. The law provides for the detention of a suspect for nearly a year without bail. Earlier in the month, Ranya's mother moved the Karnataka High Court challenging her detention under the COFEPOSA Act. The hearing was adjourned to June 3 as the court directed the Centre to file objections.
Hindustan Times
27-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka HC junks bail pleas of Ranya Rao, Tarun Raju in gold smuggling case
The Karnataka high court on Saturday dismissed the bail petitions filed by Kannada actor Ranya Rao and her Telugu actor friend Tarun Konduru Raju, both of whom are arrested in connection with a gold smuggling case. Justice S Vishwajith Shetty pronounced the order, a detail copy of which was awaited. Rao was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 3 after Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials found her in possession of 14.2 kg of gold bars worth ₹12.5 crore, upon her arrival from Dubai, while Raju was taken into custody on March 10. During the hearing in the high court, Rao's counsel Sandesh Chouta argued that she had been 'falsely implicated in the case', while advocate Madhukar N Rao, representing DRI, the prosecuting agency in the case, opposed the bail petitions filed by both actor friends and co-accused. The DRI counsel had informed the court that the agency's probe so far revealed that 100 kilograms of gold had been smuggled by Rao and Raju to India from Dubai. The high court has also asked the federal agency as to how Rao had obtained VIP protocol and police escort at the Bengaluru airport. To this, DRI counsel said it was yet to investigate 'that angle.' Raju's counsel, seeking bail for his client, had denied all allegations against him and said that even if the charges against him were taken at face value, the only allegation against him was that he had travelled to Dubai and handed over the gold to Rao. The federal revenue and intelligence agency had earlier claimed that Rao and Raju made 26 trips together between January and March this year alone. Officials suspect that overall Rao has made 56 trips to Dubai between 2023 and this year. DRI had also told the court that before Rao's arrest at the airport, she had claimed she did not have anything to declare at the green channel. However, when she was searched, gold bars worth over ₹12 crore were recovered from her. Besides DRI, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have also registered separate cases to focus on a larger international syndicate and possible role of government officials in facilitating the smuggling. Cofeposa Act invoked Meanwhile, the Union government has invoked the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act against Rao, making her ineligible for bail for a period of one year. An order to this effect was issued by the joint secretary of the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, Department of Revenue, on April 22. The stringent law was also invoked against the other two accused in the case — Tarun Raju and Sahil Sakaria Jain — both of whom are lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison along with Rao.
India Today
26-04-2025
- India Today
Actor Ranya Rao charged under stringent anti-smuggling law, faces 1 year in jail
The Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) has invoked the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974, against Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was allegedly caught smuggling 14.8 kg of gold at Bengaluru airport on March order issued on April 22, 2025, by Anupam Prakash, Joint Secretary, COFEPOSA Wing, of the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, said that the Act 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.' advertisementThe COFEPOSA Act allows for preventive detention without bail for up to one year. The court has currently reserved its order on granting bail. In March, anti-smuggling agency DRI told a court that the actor has confessed that money used for the purchase of gold was routed through hawala channels. The DRI's big claim of Ranya Rao's confession in the gold smuggling case came days after it alleged it had evidence of the actor and her friend Tarun Raju making 26 trips to Dubai, in which they would leave in the morning and return by the Rao's bail plea has been rejected twice so far, once by a lower court, and another by the Special Court for Economic Offences. ABOUT RANYA RAO PROBERanya Rao was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport after a thorough personal search revealed gold bars wrapped around her waist and calves with bandages and tissues. Besides, additional gold bars and cut pieces were also found in her shoes and front gold recovered was 24 carats and weighed 14.2 kg, valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore, and Rao has been charged under the Customs Act and the Prevention of Smuggling Activities Protocol Officer who assisted the actor had told investigating officers that he had done so under specific instructions from DGP Ramchandra Rao,Ranya's stepfather. Ramchandra Rao was recently sent on compulsory leave amid huge uproar over the gold smuggling case.
