Actress Ranya Rao Admits to Smuggling 17 Gold Bars from Dubai

Kannada actress Ranya Rao admitted to smuggling 17 gold bars from Dubai. Arrested at Bengaluru airport, she allegedly used VIP privileges to bypass security. Authorities seized additional gold and cash from her residence. A court remanded her to judicial custody while investigators probe her possible involvement in a smuggling network.

Kannada actress Ranya Rao has admitted to smuggling 17 gold bars from Dubai during police interrogation. Arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, she was found in possession of 14.8 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) acted on a tip-off, leading to her capture.

In her statement, Rao disclosed details of her frequent international travels, including trips to Europe, America, and the Middle East. She clarified that her confession was made voluntarily and that she was receiving fair treatment while in custody. Despite being offered food, she declined, stating she was not hungry.

Ranya Rao, daughter of real estate businessman KS Hegdesh, is married to architect Jatin Hukkeri. She is also the stepdaughter of senior police officer K Ramachandra Rao. However, the officer distanced himself from her activities, asserting that they had not been in contact since her marriage.

Investigators revealed that Rao had made over 30 short trips to Dubai in the past year and allegedly used her VIP connections to bypass standard security checks. She smuggled the gold by strapping the bars to her body and concealing them under clothing.

Authorities have requested further custody of Rao to determine if she was part of a larger smuggling network. Meanwhile, a special court has placed her under judicial custody until March 18. A search of her residence led to the seizure of gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash.

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The case marks one of Bengaluru airport’s largest gold seizures in recent years, highlighting the growing challenge of smuggling through VIP channels.