Rajiv Kalkod (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 8, 2025)

Bengaluru: A special court for economic offences in the city Friday remanded Kannada actor Ranya Rao, caught with 14.2 kg gold at Kempegowda International Airport Monday night, in three-day custody of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).

Daughter of senior IPS officer and director general of police (Karnataka Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao, Ranya was caught allegedly smuggling in 17 gold bars while returning from Dubai to Bengaluru.

In a voluntary statement to DRI and reviewed by TOI, Ranya said, “I’m born and brought up in Bengaluru. I studied up to (class) 12. I’m an artist in the film industry/ theatre. I’m a wildlife photographer and freelancer in real estate in Dubai...I’m married to Jatin Hukkeri, an architect, and stay with him on Lavelle Road. I have read the mahazar dated March 3 drawn at Kempegowda International Airport and affixed my dated signature as a token of having seen the mahazar. I accept that 17 pieces of gold bars were recovered frommy possession.”

Passing his orders Friday afternoon, judge Vishwanatha C Gowdar from the special economic offences cases court directed DRI sleuths to produce Ranya before him on or before 4.30pm, Monday. Ranya was in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison.

Accompanied by two DRI women sleuths, Ranya walked into the court around 5.45 pm. Judge Gowdar asked Ranya whether she was illtreated by police during transit or at any other time. Ranya replied in the negative. The DRI team is being led by investigating officer Nageshwar Rao and includes senior intelligence officer Neha Kumari. “The accused shouldn’t be threatened during police custody. She should be provided basic amenities, including food. Her health should be taken care of. Each day, after interrogation is over, Ranya’s counsel can meet her for 30 minutes in the presence of DRI officials,” the judge said.

He directed Ranya to fully cooperate with the investigating agency during their custody. Ranya’s counsel, Girish, sought permission to speak to his client. The court permitted this, saying he can speak to her in the presence of DRI officials.
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Rajiv Kalkod (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 11, 2025)

Bengaluru: The tension in the courtroom was palpable as Ranya, the prime accused in the high-profile gold smuggling case, stood before the judge, accompanied by a team of DRI officials.

The crowded court hall was thick with anticipation. When special court (economic offences) Vishwanath C Gowdar asked if she had been physically or mentally mistreated during her three-day custody with DRI, the room fell silent. Ranya, standing still, appeared calm at first, but then, breaking the stillness, began to sob uncontrollably.

"I was verbally threatened and traumatised. They (DRI) haven't harassed me physically. But they verbally threatened during interrogation. They say if I don't do this or don't do that, consequences will be bad," she said.

However, one of the DRI sleuths quickly rebutted and said Ranya was attempting to describe questioning as harassment. "Each and every moment of interrogation has been video recorded. Yes, we have questioned her, stressing the facts of her regular foreign trips, but she is not cooperating with us. We have posed the questions based on the documents like travel history; still, she refuses to cooperate," the official said.

Hearing this, Ranya countered stating that she was cooperating with the investigating agency. Hearing them, Judge Gowdar told Ranya: "We will hear both sides. The court will never come to a conclusion after hearing just one side. We will hear you and hear them also. Further, we will go through the video recording of the interrogation. And yes, if we come across any sign of taking statements by force or threat, we will act on it."

Meanwhile, DRI sources said Ranya was refusing to answer questions about how the gold bars were sourced, which syndicate was she working for and who are the influential people supporting her.