14.2 kg gold seized from Kannada actor Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport

GOLD bars weighing around 14.2 kg were seized from Kannada actress Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Sunday evening.

Officials claim this haul is one of the largest seizures of gold at Bengaluru airport in recent times, and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has valued it at around ₹125.6 million (£1.12m).

The total seizure in the case stood at ₹172.9 million (£1.55m), which included assets worth ₹47.3 million (£423,630.86).

Rao is the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, who is currently serving as Director-General of Police, Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, a senior police officer told PTI.

The DRI officers had also conducted a search at Ranya's residential premises located on Lavelle road, Bengaluru, where she resides with her husband.

The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewellery worth ₹20.6 million (£184,456.38) and Indian currency amounting to ₹26.7 million (£239,196.41)," it stated.

The Ministry said the actress has been placed under arrest under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody, it added.

Rao made her film debut in 2014 opposite Kannada superstar Sudeep in 'Maanikya' (2014). She has also acted in a Tamil film Wagah (2016) and Kannada film Pataki (2017).

Meanwhile, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said that he cannot comment on the case of gold smuggling by the Kannada actress until the DRI completes the investigation.

"The investigation is ongoing. The DRI is handling the case, and until they provide definite information, I cannot comment. Let them complete their inquiry first. Internally, I have asked our department to look into it, and they will gather some information," he told reporters.

A huge shock: Stepfather

Distancing himself from the actress, her stepfather, Rao, told reporters here that the law would take its course.

According to him, Ranya got married just four months ago and has not visited them since.

Stating that he was unaware of Ranya and her husband's business dealings, he said the news came as a "huge shock and disappointment." (PTI)