Court Denies Bail for Ranya Rao in High-Profile Gold Smuggling Case

The CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru has denied bail to actress Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling case. Her alleged accomplice, Sahil Jain, is in DRI custody. The investigation, led by the CBI and rooted in a DRI complaint, suggests a large-scale smuggling network with possible links to public servants.

The Bengaluru CCH Sessions Court has denied actress Ranya Rao's bail application related to a high-stakes gold smuggling case. The court's decision on Thursday follows earlier developments, where gold dealer Sahil Jain was remanded into the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) until March 29.

Ranya Rao's arrest occurred on March 3 at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport when the DRI discovered her transporting gold. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently filed an FIR, deriving its basis from a complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta, the Additional Director of DRI. The charges fall under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with provisions from the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS). A linked arrest on March 6 at Mumbai Airport involved two foreign nationals caught with 21.28 kg of gold, valued at Rs. 18.92 crore, suspected to be part of the same syndicate.

The registered FIR highlights potential connections to a smuggling network, possibly operating from Dubai. The complaint indicates potential involvement of public servants, suggesting an intricate criminal network. Gupta pointed to multiple trips made by Rao to Dubai and repeated arrivals of the foreign nationals at Mumbai airport, hinting at a sophisticated smuggling operation.

(With inputs from agencies.)