‘Gold smuggling happening in Bengaluru, everything must come out’: BJP raises Ranya Rao’s case in Assembly

BENGALURU : The Karnataka Assembly witnessed a verbal brawl between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress legislators over actress Ranya Rao, who is in judicial custody over her alleged involvement in a gold smuggling case.

BJP MLA Sunil Kumar raised the issue of Rao in the Assembly and said, “In this gold smuggling case, as per the report, she has travelled more than 25 times to Dubai, and now 14 kg gold is caught. It is clear that gold smuggling is happening in Bengaluru and a caught person is the daughter of a police officer. Everything has to come out.”

The BJP MLA questioned how the protocol could be given to a senior police officer’s daughter.

“How can someone be allowed to take protocol and support in that way? How does a constable allow her? Is he involved? How come he gave support, that has to come out,” he said.

“There are speculations about the involvement of ministers also in this case. I don’t say this,” Sunil Kumar said.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, also supported Kumar’s remarks and said he has also been a Home Minister.

“I was also a home minister. Directly escorting someone is different and giving protocol and bringing them out is different. Where all that gold goes, the constable must tell all the things,” he said.

Priyank Kharge replied, “You are saying that you heard ministers involved, too. Let us know if it is a central minister or state minister.”

In his reply, BJP MLA Sunil Kumar said it is not about the State or Centre, but everything should come out in the case.

“Whether it is Centre or State, it is gambling and smuggling. Everything has to come out, and names must come out. Our state name must not be tainted,” he said.

Congress MLA Balakrishna slammed the BJP and said that it is the Centre who must control drug smuggling.

“Who’s under drug control comes and who must control smuggling? Is it not the responsibility of the Prime Minister and Central government? What you (BJP) need is just diversion of the session,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3, 2025, at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after DRI officials intercepted her carrying gold.

The CBI has filed an FIR in the gold smuggling case on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI.

The FIR has been registered under the Preventiontion of Corruption Act, 1988, and various sections of the Bharatiyatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta. The complaint discloses the cognizable offences under Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 20148) r/w 61(2) of BNS. (ANI)