Educational institution paid Rs 40 towards Ranya Rao’s credit card bill, reveals ED probe

BENGALURU: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), which is probing the gold smuggling case involving actress Ranya Rao, conducted raids on 14 locations linked to individuals allegedly involved in hawala transactions.

Sources said these individuals and business entities would buy the gold smuggled in by Ranya Rao and sell it to jewellers illegally. An educational institution also transferred Rs 40 lakh towards Ranya Rao’s credit card bill on the instructions of an influential individual.

The ED has tracked illegal foreign remittances to individuals and business entities in violation of RBI norms and has gathered evidence. The central agency is tracking the money trail to estimate the magnitude of the proceeds of crime, the sources said.