Bengaluru:
Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested for smuggling gold bars worth Rs 14.56 crore in March, was granted bail by a special court on Tuesday.
The actor will, however, remain in prison as she has also been booked under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), 1974, that allows preventive detention without bail for a year.
The Special Court for Economic Offences granted bail to Ms Rao – stepdaughter of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ramachandra Rao – and another accused Tarun Kondaru Raju after it noted that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had failed to file a charge sheet in the case.
Besides the DRI, the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation are probing the matter.
The two accused were also granted bail on the condition that they will furnish two sureties and a bond of Rs 2 lakh. They have also been directed not to leave the country.
Mr Rao was caught smuggling gold bars weighing 14.2 kg, worth Rs 14.56 crore, when she arrived from Dubai at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 3.
The actor, who made her debut with the 2014 movie Maanikya, came under the radar of DRI officials after she made her fourth visit to Dubai in 15 days. It was earlier learnt that she made 27 trips to Dubai in the past year. Sources said she used to wear some of the gold and conceal the rest in her clothing to avoid getting caught.
After arresting Ms Rao, investigators raided her house and recovered gold jewellery worth over Rs 2 crore and cash worth Rs 2.67 crore.
In a leaked statement, the actor revealed the details of her international trips to locations such as the Middle East, Dubai and some Western countries. She has admitted that 17 gold bars were found on her.
Mr Rao has denied any involvement in the crime and said he was “shocked and devastated” by the news of his stepdaughter being arrested on smuggling charges.
In a statement on March 5, the senior cop said there has been no “black mark” on his career and that he was not in touch with his step daughter since she got married four months ago. He also said he was unaware of her and her husband Jatin Hukkeri’s business dealings.
