Ranya Rao admits: Youtube inspired gold hiding, claims no previous crimes
In her confession to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ranya Rao described her multiple foreign trips and how she carried out the smuggling. She further added that it was her first time she was smuggling gold from Dubai.
Actor Ranya Rao, who is under the custody of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), confessed during interrogation that it was the first time she had smuggled gold from Dubai. The actor also confided that she received calls from unknown numbers and stated that she learned to hide gold from YouTube videos.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
Rao, the stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was apprehended at Bengaluru airport while trying to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold valued at Rs 12.56 crore as biscuits tied to her person. "I got a call from a foreign number on March 1. I used to get calls from unknown foreign numbers over the last fortnight. I was told to report at Gate A, Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport. I was asked to pick up the gold at Dubai Airport and hand it over in Bengaluru," she added. "This was my first time smuggling gold from Dubai to Bengaluru. I never brought or bought gold from Dubai before," Rao told in a U-turn from her earlier remarks to DRI officials.
Smuggling gold from Dubai to Bengaluru
Ranya Rao exposed that she had purchased crepe bandages and scissors at the airport and fixed the gold bars on her body in an airport restroom. "The gold was in two packets covered in plastic. I strapped the gold bars to my body in the airport toilet. I concealed the gold in my jeans and shoes. I learned how to do this from YouTube videos."But she refused to know who the caller or the teacher was. "I am not sure who called me. The caller had an African-American accent," she replied.
Revenue intelligence officers
"He handed over the gold bars after a security check," she informed the revenue intelligence officers and added that he left immediately after handing her the gold bars. "I never met or saw him again. The man was about 6 feet tall and fair-skinned," she added. Rao also voluntarily revealed that she had booked her ticket using Jatin Vijay Kumar's credit card.
She was asked to pick up the gold
"Me was told to hand over the gold bars to some unknown individual," she said, whenasked whom the smuggled gold should be handed over to at Bengaluru.
