Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested earlier this month at Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling gold, admitted to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) that it was her first attempt at transporting gold from Dubai to Bengaluru, as reported by India Today. She revealed that she learned how to conceal gold bars by watching YouTube tutorials.
Rao also mentioned receiving calls from unknown numbers for two weeks leading up to the incident. She told investigators that the gold was packed in two plastic-covered packets, which she attached to her body inside the airport restroom. She hid the gold in her jeans and shoes, explaining that she learned the technique through YouTube videos.
Despite initially denying involvement, she later admitted, saying this was her first time smuggling gold from Dubai to Bengaluru and that she had never purchased or transported gold from Dubai before. This statement contradicted her earlier claims to the DRI.
Rao, who is the stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was caught at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) attempting to smuggle 14.2 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore. The gold was in the form of biscuits strapped to her body.
Before boarding her flight in Dubai, she reportedly purchased crepe bandages and scissors at the airport and secured the gold bars to her body inside a restroom. She also stated that she received a call from a foreign number on March 1 and had been receiving similar calls for two weeks. According to her, she was instructed to go to Gate A at Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport to collect the gold and deliver it in Bengaluru.
She claimed not to know the identity of the person directing her, only describing the caller as a tall, fair-skinned man with an African-American accent.
Rao was arrested by DRI officials on March 3 and presented before a special financial offences court on March 4. The court remanded her to judicial custody until March 18. While she insisted her trip to Dubai was for business, investigators suspect it was related to smuggling. She was initially placed in DRI custody until March 10 for further questioning.
The Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru allowed her to meet her lawyer for 30 minutes daily during her three-day custody. Justice Vishwanath C Gowdar directed the DRI to provide her with basic necessities, including food and a bed, and warned against any harsh treatment during the investigation.
