The Karnataka Excessive Courtroom has mentioned financial offences are typically grave as they’re a risk to the nation’s economic system, not like standard crimes that have an effect on people or teams, whereas rejecting the bail pleas of actors Ranya Rao and Tarun Konduru, who have been arrested in March within the Bengaluru gold smuggling case.
Justice Vishwajit Shetty rejected the bail pleas of Ranya Rao alias Harshavardini Ranya, 33, and her affiliate Tarun Konduru alias Virat Konduru, 36, on April 26, citing the hazard of financial offences, the large amount of gold smuggled by the actors, and authorities services accorded to Rao on the Bengaluru airport.
“Not like standard crimes, which have an effect on people or particular teams, financial offences have the potential to threaten the soundness of the nationwide economic system. Financial offences are grave they usually at all times pose a risk to the well being of the economic system of the nation,” Justice Vishwajit Shetty mentioned whereas rejecting the bail petitions of the 2 actors.
“The modus operandi of the accused, the variety of their visits to Dubai, and submitting false declarations in Dubai customs on all such visits by the accused to Dubai, raises a severe doubt that in all the sooner visits additionally probabilities of gold smuggling can’t be dominated out. Subsequently, merely given that the alleged offences are compoundable and punishable with imprisonment as much as seven years, bail can’t be granted as a thumb rule,” Justice Shetty mentioned in his 28-page order.
The excessive courtroom additionally pointed to the large amount of gold allegedly smuggled, over 100 kg in keeping with the Directorate of Income Intelligence (DRI), and the extension of presidency services like VIP protocols to Ranya Rao, the step-daughter of senior Karnataka IPS officer Okay Ramachandra Rao, to reject their bail.
“Contemplating the style through which accused no.1 has managed to smuggle large amount of gold to India, for which she has additionally made use of the Authorities services offered to her, and since investigation of the case remains to be underneath progress, the good thing about the proviso to Part 480 of BNSS, 2023, can’t be prolonged to her at this stage,” Justice Shetty dominated.
“Accused no 1 is claimed to be a cine star, who’s offered protocol and a authorities car, which might prima facie go to point out her excessive connections. Accused no 2 is claimed to be a citizen of the US. Subsequently, the probabilities of accused 1 and a couple of fleeing away from justice additionally can’t be utterly dominated out at this stage,” Justice Shetty mentioned.
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Justice Shetty mentioned there may be the potential for involvement of extra individuals within the smuggling racket on account of the federal government services prolonged to Ranya Rao on the Bengaluru Worldwide Airport.
The Karnataka Excessive Courtroom referred to an announcement by Basavaraj, a police constable who was escorting Ranya Rao on the airport, and a police automotive driver, Prakash B, in its order to disclaim bail to the actors. “The assertion of Prakash B, the driving force of the federal government car which was utilized by accused no.1, was additionally recorded by the Investigation Officer, which might prima facie go to point out that accused no.1 was facilitated with an escort and a authorities car,” the HC famous.
“The fabric on document would additional go to point out that Basavaraj has acknowledged that he was requested by his Senior Officer Ramachandra Rao (DGP) to help his relations and kinfolk by extending protocol throughout their arrival and departure and it’s on this method he was offering protocol help to accused no.1 since previous few years. Subsequently, as rightly contended by the realized Counsel for the prosecution, involvement of others within the current case can’t be utterly dominated out,” the courtroom mentioned.
The HC additionally rejected the arguments of the advocates for the actors that DRI didn’t adjust to the mandated search and arrest course of throughout the interception of Ranya Rao.
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Ranya Rao was intercepted by DRI on the Bengaluru Worldwide Airport on arrival from Dubai on March 3, 2025, with 14.2 kg of gold value ₹ 12.56 crore hid on her particular person. After her arrest, the DRI investigations confirmed that Ranya Rao was assisted in passing the gold by Dubai customs by Virat Konduru by utilizing his US citizen credentials and that the smuggled gold was handed to a hawala businessman, Sahil Jain, in India for disposal.
On April 22, the Centre issued orders for the detention of Ranya Rao, Konduru, and Jain underneath the Conservation of Overseas Trade and Prevention of Smuggling Actions (Cofeposa) Act. The detention order signifies that Ranya Rao, Konduru and Jain will stay in jail for as much as a yr.
DRI advised the Karnataka excessive courtroom that the three have been a part of a gold smuggling syndicate which had smuggled 100 kg of gold into India since 2024 — aside from the 14.2 kg of gold value ₹12.56 crore that was seized on March 3 when Ranya Rao was intercepted.
DRI has claimed to have discovered proof by customs declarations and investigations of the accused of as many as 11 of 34 journeys undertaken by the actors to Dubai in 2024-25 involving smuggling of gold.