Why Ranya Rao's bail got rejected? Exclusive details revealed

Karnataka: A Bengaluru special Economic Offences Court has refused bail to Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was detained on March 3 for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 14 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India. The court considered that the offence carries grave economic consequences and poses a threat to bonafide gold traders.

Attempted smuggling at Bengaluru airport

Rao was nabbed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials at Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) when she allegedly hid gold bars on her legs, waist, jeans pockets, and in her shoes by applying medical adhesive bandages on them. The authorities say she tried to avoid customs by taking the assistance of a State Police Protocol Officer by passing through the Green Channel.

Repeated Dubai travel raises suspicions

The court observed that Rao possesses a UAE Resident Identity Card and had made 27 trips to Dubai since January 2025, reinforcing suspicion of her being part of a wider smuggling racket. The judge referred to Supreme Court judgments, highlighting that reasonable grounds for the accused's involvement at the stage of bail is enough to deny it.

Allegations of coercion and assault by DRI officials

In a March 6 letter, Rao claimed to have been physically attacked, deprived of food, and forced to sign documents in duress while being interrogated. She stated that the officials threatened to reveal her father's identity, though he had nothing to do with it.

Rao, who is the stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao, also asserted that she was apprehended inside the aircraft, contrary to DRI’s claim that she was caught in the terminal. She alleged that officers slapped her 10-15 times and forced her to sign over 50 typed pages and 40 blank sheets.

Legal struggle about arrest procedures

Rao's defense challenged the legality of her arrest on grounds of violating Supreme Court rulings and CBEC directives. Her lawyer referred to procedural failure in the following ways:

• Failure to provide a valid arrest memo
• Failure to conduct searches before a magistrate
• Interrogation for long hours without resting

Tarun Konduru is also alleged to be an active agent of the operation

These protests were dismissed by the court as a technicality, though, invoking the number and mode of concealing to deduce an act of preplanned smuggling. Officials claim Rao was acting as a carrier for an organized syndicate of gold smuggling syndicate with international links and the sophisticated method of concealing gold. Her co-accused Tarun Konduru is also alleged to be an active agent of the operation.

Having rejected her bail plea, Ranya Rao is lodged in judicial custody until March 24, when investigators are questioning her suspected involvement with international gold smuggling syndicates.