The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a gold smuggling syndicate involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, attaching assets worth ₹34.12 crore. The attached properties include a residential house in Victoria Layout, a residential plot in Arkavathi Layout in Bengaluru, industrial land in Tumkur district, and agricultural land in Anekal taluk.
The ED's probe is based on a case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on March 7, 2025, following a complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). On March 3, 2025, DRI intercepted Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, обнаружив 14.213 kg of 24-carat foreign-origin gold, valued at ₹12.56 crore, concealed on her person.
According to the ED, Ranya Rao, in collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation to smuggle gold into India. The ED stated that gold was procured from suppliers in Dubai, Uganda, and other jurisdictions, with payments made through hawala channels in cash, circumventing legal financial systems. False customs declarations were filed in Dubai, falsely declaring the destination of gold shipments as Switzerland or the USA, while the actual destination of the gold smugglers was India. The ED further added that dual sets of travel documents were used, one for the declared export destination and the other for their actual arrival in India, to evade scrutiny and facilitate smuggling through Indian airports.
The ED's investigation revealed that the smuggled gold was sold for cash in India to jewelers and other local entities. The proceeds were then laundered through further hawala remittances abroad to finance repeat consignments for smuggling more gold into India. The financial crimes probe agency has so far identified proceeds of crime worth ₹55 crore in the smuggling.
The ED also suspects the involvement of public servants in facilitating Ranya Rao's activities at the airport upon her arrival in India and said that it was under scrutiny.
In May 2025, the ED conducted raids at 16 locations, including educational institutes linked to Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara, and some hawala and forex dealers in connection with the case.
The ED said that Ranya Rao's involvement in generating, possessing, and circulating proceeds of crime was further corroborated by her digital footprint, which includes invoices, export declarations, foreign remittance records, and recorded chats establishing her active role in the smuggling syndicate.
During questioning, Ranya Rao denied knowledge of the seized gold and other assets. However, the ED stated that her claims were demonstrably contradicted by seized physical evidence, including customs documents bearing her name, travel and purchase records, and digital conversations.
Ranya Rao and her associates are currently lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. Although bail was granted, they have not been released, as they have been detained under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), 1974.
