Court Drama in Gold Smuggling Case: Stars in the Dock

Actor Tarun Raju's bail plea will be heard today following his DRI arrest, linked with actress Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling case. Rao's bail was previously denied, and she seeks high court relief. Sahil Jain, also implicated, appears in economic court. FIR registered post foreign nationals' arrest.

Actor Tarun Raju's bail application is scheduled for a hearing today after his arrest by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) over an alleged involvement in a gold smuggling case. The alleged crime also sees actress Ranya Rao tied to its strings. The CCH 64th court will hear Raju's bail application, with Advocate Bipin Hegde standing in defense of the Telugu star.

The legal proceedings stretch further with Advocate Madhu Rao serving as DRI's legal counsel. Meanwhile, the third alleged player, Sahil Jain, will be appearing before the Economic Offences Court. Jain has been in judicial custody until now, marking another day in this high-stakes legal battle.

Also captured in the gold smuggling web, Ranya Rao, recently denied bail by a Bengaluru sessions court, is seeking relief from the Karnataka High Court. Represented by lawyer BS Girish, Rao filed a petition that will be pursued in the upcoming week by the High Court.

Previously, on March 27, the 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru denied bail to Ranya Rao, who was apprehended on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport. The arrest followed a discovery operation by DRI officials. An FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) came into play after a complaint from Abhishek Chandra Gupta, DRI's Additional Director, citing the Prevention of Corruption Act and several Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita provisions.

The case traced its roots further when, on March 6, two foreign nationals were apprehended at Mumbai Airport with gold weighing 21.28 kg, valued at Rs. 18.92 crore. This incident added layers to the investigation as per the FIR registered by the CBI.

(With inputs from agencies.)