Latest news with #COFEPOSAAct
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.
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.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ranya Rao, Tarun Konduru Raju get bail in gold smuggling case but to remain in prison
A Bengaluru court Tuesday granted statutory bail to Kannada actor Ranya Rao and Telugu actor Virat Konduru alias Tarun Konduru Raju in a high-profile gold smuggling case. However, their release from jail appears unlikely in the near future as the Centre has charged them under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act. The Special Court for Economic Offences ruled that the duo is entitled to default bail, citing the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)'s failure to file a chargesheet within 60 days of arrest. The court granted bail on the condition that each executes a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh with two sureties. 'It is made clear that any violation of the conditions imposed by this court will result in the cancellation of bail,' the court observed and asked them to appear for all the hearings without fail in the bail conditions. As part of the bail conditions, the court instructed Ranya and Raju to refrain from tampering with evidence or witnesses, cooperate fully with the investigation, avoid leaving the country without prior permission, and not commit similar offences. Ranya Rao, 33, is accused of smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai. She was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru airport and found in possession of 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars valued at Rs 12.56 crore. She was allegedly attempting to evade customs duty to the tune of Rs 4.83 crore by strapping the gold on her body using bandages. Raju and a Ballari-based jeweller, Sahil Sakariya Jain, were also arrested later in connection with the smuggling operation. All three are lodged at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. On April 22, the Union government invoked the COFEPOSA Act provisions against them. This act permits preventive detention for up to one year without trial. Meanwhile, Ranya's mother has approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging her daughter's detention under the COFEPOSA Act. The matter has been adjourned to June 3, with the court asking the Centre to file its objections. The Karnataka High Court had previously declined to grant Ranya Rao and Tarun Konduru Raju bail. Raju had travelled to the UAE at the same time as Rao but returned to Hyderabad instead of Bengaluru, according to the DRI that arrested the two actors.
