Bengaluru, Karnataka [India]: The Karnataka High Court has postponed the bail hearing of actress Ranya Rao to April 17 in connection with an ongoing gold smuggling case. The court has also directed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to submit its objections before the next hearing.
Previously, on April 2, the Special Court for Economic Offenses placed Sahil Jain—identified as the third accused in the case—under 14-day judicial custody. Jain was presented before the court by the DRI after the end of his initial custody period.
Ranya Rao had approached the Karnataka High Court for bail on April 1, following the rejection of her bail application by a Bengaluru sessions court.
Her legal counsel, BS Girish, filed the petition, which the High Court is expected to consider next week.
Earlier, on March 27, the 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru had dismissed Rao’s bail plea related to the smuggling allegations.
Ranya Rao was initially arrested on March 3 at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, where DRI officials allegedly found her in possession of smuggled gold. Based on a formal complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the case.
The FIR was filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in addition to several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS).
According to the complaint, following Ranya Rao’s arrest, two foreign nationals were also detained at Mumbai Airport on March 6. They were caught attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into the country, valued at ₹18.92 crore.
The complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta further suggests that these incidents involving frequent travel between India and Dubai hint at a broader organized smuggling syndicate, possibly based in Dubai (UAE).
Gupta noted in his complaint that:
“These cases involving passengers making trips from Dubai and attempting to smuggle gold in large quantities point to a possible nexus with a coordinated smuggling syndicate, possibly operating from Dubai (UAE).”
He also raised concerns about the involvement of public servants and other individuals in facilitating the smuggling activities.