Latest news with #ConservationofForeignExchangeandPreventionofSmugglingActivities
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Time of India
Cofeposa upheld, no bail to Kannada actor Ranya Rao for one year
Bengaluru: The advisory board under the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has upheld the invocation of Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (Cofeposa) Act against jailed Kannada actor Ranya Rao . The board Thursday issued directions not to allow Ranya to file a bail petition for one year from the date of her arrest as per provisions of Cofeposa Act. Following the directive, DRI conveyed the information to jail authorities. Earlier, Rao was granted bail by a special court. However, since the case was registered under a special law, she was not released from prison. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), a nodal agency under the ministry of finance, had invoked Cofeposa Act against the actor and other accused in the gold smuggling case, based on DRI's recommendation. As per the provisions of 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 and to second accused Tarun Raju. She had sought bail on grounds that DRI failed to submit a chargesheet within 60 days. Taking this into consideration, the court had granted bail. Taking cognisance of the development, the advisory board looked into the matter and upheld invoking of Special Act against Ranya. The actor was arrested on March 3 in connection with a gold smuggling case and has been in jail for the past four months. — IANS
India Today
17-07-2025
- India Today
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 IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
I-T officials to record Ranya Rao's statement in Bengaluru Central Prison
Bengaluru: A special court for economic offences in the city Wednesday permitted income-tax officials to record the statement of Sandalwood actor , who is in Bengaluru Central Prison after being arrested in a gold-smuggling case. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The special court, in its order, said I-T officials could record her statements between Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 5pm. According to the order, "The applicants (IT officials) shouldn't ill-treat the accused. The applicants should videograph the entire interrogation with intimation to the accused. The accused should extend full cooperation to the interrogation," the special court observed. Ranya, daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport after she landed from Dubai. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths had seized 14.2kg of gold bars strapped to her body. Though the high court granted her bail last month, she was forced to remain in jail because the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974, has been invoked against her by the Centre.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Mint
Kannada actress Ranya Rao gets bail in gold smuggling case, but to remain in custody under stringent law
Gold smuggling case: The Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru on Tuesday granted default bail to Kannada actress Ranya Rao and co-accused Tarun Kondaraju in connection with a gold smuggling case. However, the actress is likely to remain in custody under a stringent anti-smuggling law. They were granted bail on two sureties each and a ₹ 2 lakh bond. The court also imposed strict conditions — they cannot leave the country and must not commit a similar crime. The court issued a stern warning, noting that any breach of these conditions would lead to the cancellation of their bail. Ranya's lawyer, BS Girish, argued that the actress will not be released even if she gets bail, as a case has been registered against her under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, 1974. The stringent charges were applied after multiple attempts were made by the accused to secure bail. Authorities said that it was necessary to prevent her from resuming illicit activities, citing her lack of cooperation during the investigation. Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior police officer K Ramchandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kilogrammes of gold valued at over ₹ 12.56 crore. The Karnataka government has formed a special team, led by a senior IAS officer, to probe the potential involvement of DGP Ramchandra Rao in the smuggling racket. She is currently lodged at the Bengaluru central prison along with two others — Tarun Raju and Sahil Sakaria Jain — who have also been booked under the COFEPOSA Act. The case is being investigated jointly by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the CBI. Last month, Ranya Rao told the Karnataka High Court that the search and seizure carried out by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) violated provisions of the Customs Act. Senior advocate Sandesh J Chouta, representing Ranya, argued that the search was conducted in violation of Section 102 of the Customs Act, which mandates that any person being searched has the right to be taken before a magistrate or a gazetted customs officer. Chouta told the court that the grounds of arrest were not formally communicated to Ranya's family members in writing, as required under the law. The actress was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after authorities seized gold bars worth ₹ 12.56 crore from her possession.
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.
