Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 9 (ANI): The Karnataka High Court has postponed the hearing on actor Ranya Rao’s bail plea in the ongoing gold smuggling case to April 17, instructing the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to file its objections before the next session.
Ranya Rao approached the High Court for bail on April 1, after her plea was rejected by the Sessions Court in Bengaluru on March 27. Her counsel, BS Girish, filed the petition seeking relief, which the High Court will now address next week.
Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, after the DRI found her in possession of smuggled gold. Following this, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR based on a complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI.
The case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS). Investigations point to a broader international gold smuggling network, possibly operated from Dubai (UAE).
On April 2, the Special Court for Economic Offenses remanded the third accused, Sahil Jain, to 14-day judicial custody. Jain was produced in court after his initial custody period expired.
In a related development, two foreign nationals were arrested at Mumbai Airport on March 6, just days after Rao’s arrest. They were caught attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold worth ₹18.92 crore into India. The DRI suspects coordination among smugglers using repeated trips between Dubai and Indian airports, and the potential involvement of public servants.
The High Court’s adjournment gives the DRI time to respond to Rao’s bail plea, with the case set to be taken up again on April 17. (ANI)
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