Gold smuggling case: Ranya Rao bail plea hearing today; Gold dealer sent to DRI custody

BENGALURU: The 64th CCH sessions court, which had reserved its order on Kannada actress Ranya Rao’s bail application, will pronounce its verdict today. Meanwhile, gold dealer Sahil Jain, who allegedly helped actor Ranya Rao sell smuggled gold, has been sent to DRI custody till March 29.

Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) found her carrying gold. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later filed an FIR based on a complaint by Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI.

The FIR was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS). According to the complaint, two foreign nationals were arrested at Mumbai Airport on March 6 for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India, valued at Rs 18.92 crore.

According to the complaint, after Ranya Rao’s arrest on March 3, two foreign nationals were also arrested on March 6 from Mumbai airport for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India worth Rs. 18.92 crore, as per the complaint.

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 Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta. The complaint discloses the cognizable offences U/s 7 and 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 20148) r/w 61(2) of BNS.

Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI, in his complaint, has said that these cases involving passengers making trips from Dubai and attempting to smuggle gold in large quantities point to a “possible nexus” with a coordinated smuggling syndicate, possibly operating from Dubai (UAE).

In Ranya Rao’s case, she travelled to Dubai multiple times, while the two arrested foreign nationals had previously arrived at the Mumbai airport multiple times. Gupta, in his complaint, also suspected the possibility of the involvement of public servants and others. (ANI)