Kannada Actress Ranya Rao Likely To Be Released On Bail

Bengaluru: In a major development, Kannada actress Ranya Rao, involved in the high-profile gold smuggling case, is likely to be released when her one-year preventive detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) ends on Wednesday.

According to sources, Ranya Rao may be released today or tomorrow after his legal team completes the bail formalities pending regular bail. Although he was released on regular bail several months ago, he remained in custody under COFEPOSA preventive detention. As the one-year period has now expired, agencies including the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) will not be able to seek further detention under the same provisions, paving the way for his release.

It may be recalled that the actress was accused in the Rs 102 crore gold smuggling case, in which more than 127 kg of gold was smuggled into India through a syndicate in a year from March 2024 to March 2025.

Ranya Rao was nabbed by officials of the Revenue Intelligence Directorate of Kempegowda International Airport when she arrived in Bengaluru from Dubai on March 2, 2025, after observing her frequent trips abroad. They reported that he had traveled to Dubai 27 times since January 2025. The investigation also revealed a sophisticated method of smuggling, including the use of a State Police Protocol Officer to bypass security, hawala transactions to transfer money from India to Dubai to purchase gold, and the involvement of a larger syndicate.

While DRI officials seized gold bullion of foreign origin worth Rs 12.56 billion, they recovered gold bullion weighing 14,213 kg from the spot. During a search at Ranya Rao’s house in Bengaluru, emergency officials seized gold jewelery worth Rs 2.06 billion and Indian currency worth Rs 2.67 billion. Later, after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a First Information Report on March 7, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated the investigation.

Harshavardhini Ranya Rao is the step-daughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao and is currently lodged in the Bengaluru Central Jail.