Latest news with #COFEPOSAAct
Hans India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Gold smuggling case: No bail to Ranya Rao for one year; COFEPOSA rap upheld
Bengaluru: The Advisory Board under the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has upheld the invocation of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act against jailed Kannada actress Ranya Rao. The board on Thursday also issued directions not to allow the filing of a bail petition by jailed actress Ranya Rao for one year from the date of her arrest as per the provisions of the COFEPOSA Act. The Advisory Board directed the DRI that no bail application should be filed on behalf of Ranya. Following this directive, the DRI conveyed the information to the jail authorities. Earlier, Ranya Rao was granted bail by a special court. However, since the case was registered under a special law, she was not released. The Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), a nodal agency under the Ministry of Finance, invoked the COFEPOSA Act against the actress and other accused in the gold smuggling case, based on a recommendation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which is investigating the gold smuggling case. As per the provisions of the COFEPOSA Act, she will have to remain in custody for up to one year. On May 20, the Special Court for Economic Offences granted conditional bail to Ranya Rao. The court also granted bail to the second accused, Tarun Raju. She had hoped to secure bail and, after her mother had challenged the invocation of the COFEPOSA Act in court. The accused had sought bail on the grounds that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had failed to submit the charge sheet within 60 days. Taking this into consideration, the court had granted bail. Taking cognisance of the development, the Advisory Board, the statutory body within the DRI, looked into the matter and upheld the invoking of the Special Act against Ranya Rao. Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 in connection with a gold smuggling case and has been in jail for the past four months.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Ranya Rao jailed for gold smuggling under COFEPOSA; no bail for Kannada actor
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year in prison under the stringent COFEPOSA Act in connection with a gold smuggling case. The Advisory Board overseeing the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) recently ruled that she will not be eligible for bail throughout the duration of her detention. Previously, on May 20, a city court had granted default bail to both Ranya and her co-accused Tarun Raju, after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to file a chargesheet within the required timeframe. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MBA MCA Public Policy Management Data Science others Operations Management healthcare Technology Project Management CXO Leadership Cybersecurity Healthcare Product Management Data Analytics Degree Others Finance PGDM Artificial Intelligence Data Science Digital Marketing Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details However, despite the bail being sanctioned on a bond of ₹2 lakh along with surety conditions, both remained in custody due to a preventive detention order under COFEPOSA, which allows for detention of up to a year without formal charges, solely based on suspicion of smuggling. The case dates back to March, when Ranya arrived from Dubai and attempted to pass through the green channel at Kempegowda International Airport, which is designated for passengers with no dutiable goods. Her nervous demeanor raised suspicion among DRI officials, prompting a thorough search conducted by female officers. During the search, authorities recovered 14.2 kilograms of gold worth approximately ₹12.56 crore. She was taken into custody immediately. Live Events Ranya's prior attempts to secure bail were rejected multiple times—twice by local courts and later by the Karnataka High Court. [Inputs from PTI]
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Actress Ranya Rao, Tarun Raju gets bail in gold smuggling case
BENGALURU: The Special Court for Economic Offences on Tuesday granted default bail to accused actress Ranya Rao and Tarun Konduru Raju, who were arrested by sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a case related to gold smuggling. However, since they have been detained under the COFEPOSA Act, they will not be released from prison. On March 3 and 4, DRI arrested Ranya and seized 14.21 kg of gold in bar form, with a value of Rs 12.56 crore at Kempegowda International Airport. They searched her house and seized unaccounted cash of Rs 2.67 crore and jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore. Raju was arrested and produced before the special court on March 9. Allowing the applications filed by them under Section 187(3)(ii) of BNSS, Vishwanath C Gowdar, Judge, the Special Court for Economic Offences, said that Ranya and Raju, accused nos. 1 and 2, respectively, are entitled for default bail on executing a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh each, with two sureties for like sum, subject to other conditions. The conditions imposed were that both the accused had to appear before the court on all dates of the hearing without fail, and they should not tamper with or hamper prosecution witnesses. Besides, they have to cooperate with the investigation, should not leave the country without prior permission and should not commit similar offences in future. The court also made it clear that any violation of these conditions imposed, will result in cancellation of the bail granted. Initially, the accused were booked under provisions of the Customs Act, which enables the accused to get default bail if the DRI fails to file a charge sheet within 60 days, since the offences are punishable for less than seven years.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Actress Ranya Rao gets bail in gold smuggling case
A special court in Bengaluru on Tuesday granted statutory bail to actress Ranya Rao who was arrested in connection with a gold smuggling case. Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao (33) is the daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 3. Later, Tarun Konduru Raju and Sahil Sakariya Jain were arrested in connection with the case. Ranya Rao and her accomplices were lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara. Although granted bail, her release from prison is unlikely since Ranya Rao along with her two accomplices, Tarun Koduru Raju and Sahil Sakariya Jain, were placed under detention under the stringent Conversation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act 1974 (COFEPOSA Act, 1974).
Hans India
20-05-2025
- Hans India
Gold smuggling case: Actress Ranya Rao & second accused Tarun Raju get bail
Bengaluru: In a major development, the Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru has granted conditional bail to jailed actress Ranya Rao on Tuesday. The court has also granted relief to the second accused Tarun Raju by allowing his bail petition. The accused have sought bail on the grounds of non-submission of the charge sheet against them by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) even after 60 days. Considering the plea, the court has granted bail. The court has asked the accused not to leave the country without prior permission of the court. The matter has been adjourned to June 2. Senior counsel Girish made submissions for Ranya Rao. The court has directed the accused persons to provide provide surety by two persons and also furnish a bond of Rs 2 lakh each. The court said that the applications filed by accused under the Section 187(3)(ii) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Act were allowed. The court has directed Ranya Rao and Tarun Raju to appear before this court on all the dates of hearing without fail. They are further directed not to tamper or hamper the prosecution witnesses and to co-operate with the Investigating Officer's investigation. Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior police officer Ramchandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold, valued at more than Rs 12.56 crore. Ranya Rao and the other two accused in the case are currently lodged at the Bengaluru Central Prison. On May 13, the Karnataka High Court directed the Union government to file its objections within two weeks in connection with the petition filed by Ranya Rao, challenging the invocation of the COFEPOSA Act against her in the gold smuggling case. The Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), has been invoked against Ranya Rao. The Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), a nodal agency under the Ministry of Finance, has invoked the COFEPOSA Act against the actress and other accused in the gold smuggling case as per the recommendation of the DRI, probing the case. The bench has asked the Central government to file the objections within two weeks and adjourned the matter to June 3. A vacation bench of Justice H.P. Sandesh and Justice Ramachandra Huddar gave the directions while looking into the petition by Ranya Rao seeking to declare that imposing the COFEPOSA Act against her is illegal and 'void ab initio' (void from the beginning). In legal contexts, 'void ab initio' means that a contract, agreement, or other action is considered invalid and has no legal effect from the moment it was created. Ranya Rao submitted that the constitutional provisions are violated in her case, and the grounds of her detention are erroneous and display a lack of application of mind.
