Last Monday, a DRI team stopped Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport just as she was about to pass through security, retrieving the gold bars.
The BJP has claimed that Ranya Rao approached two ministers in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress administration to get out of trouble, days after the actor was detained at the Bengaluru airport for smuggling gold. The “blatant violation” of procedures that allegedly allowed Ranya Rao to carry gold “could not have happened without the direct support of influential figures within the government,” according to state BJP chief BY Vijayendra.
In an attempt to implicate the BJP, the Congress has claimed that in 2023, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board gave Ranya Rao land to establish a steel mill while the BJP was led by Basavaraj Bommai.
‘Tried To Contact 2 Ministers’
“When she was caught, she tried to contact some Congress ministers to use their influence to get out of the problem,” BJP leader and MLA Y Bharath Shetty told the media amid the controversy surrounding the actor’s political ties. The fact that two ministers are attempting to assist her is now almost public knowledge. The CBI has taken up the case; we shall know who is responsible and something substantial will emerge from it.”
Vijayendra, the president of the state BJP, referenced media sources that said a well-known minister was involved in the situation. He stated that the reports are not shocking “given this government’s track record of churning out scandals in increasingly ‘innovative’ ways” in a post on X.
“Without the direct assistance of powerful people in the government, Ranya Rao would not have been able to smuggle gold valued at over Rs 12 crore, and perhaps much more in the past, due to the flagrant breach of government procedures. According to the state BJP chairman, “if these reports are accurate, it raises serious questions about how deep this nexus runs.”
“In his capacity as Chief Minister, @siddaramaiah would have been provided with intelligence reports that would have identified the suspected ministers and their roles. With the CBI now taking charge, any attempt by the government to protect those accountable will only backfire. Any cover-up will simply serve to highlight the government’s involvement in this heinous crime, Mr. Vijayendra continued. “The truth will come out.”
According to a Kannada proverb, “A cat may think the world won’t notice if it drinks milk with its eyes closed”—the government of Inckarnataka must not let this delusion fool them! Justice must be done because the public is watching,” he declared.
Karnataka Home Minister’s Response
State Home Minister G Parameshwara responded to inquiries about BY Vijayendra’s claims that Ranya Rao contacted two state ministers following her capture by saying, “This has now been turned over to the CBI.” Let the CBI release its results. This is only conjecture until then.
“Even that has to be found out,” he remarked when asked about the actor’s land allocation during the BJP administration. I was informed that this was granted under the BJP’s rule. Let the CBI learn about it.
The CBI is currently looking into the dramatic case that surfaced after a squad from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stopped Ranya Rao at the Bengaluru airport last week and found 14 kg of gold bars.
In court, DRI stated that it is a national security issue. Now, the CBI is involved in the investigation. Senior IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao’s stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, is presently being held by DRI and interrogated.
The Way Ranya Rao Was Apprehended
At Bengaluru airport, Ranya Rao was just one step away from getting past security when she was stopped by a DRI team, who then retrieved the gold bars. Last Monday, the 33-year-old actor, who began her career with the Kannada movie Maanikya in 2014, arrived from Dubai via an Emirates flight. “Gold bars measuring 14.2 kg were discovered cleverly hidden on the individual upon investigation. According to a DRI statement, the contraband, which had a value of Rs 12.56 crore, was apprehended in accordance with the Customs Act of 1962.
After that, the investigators expanded their investigation to her house on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru, where they discovered more. “DRI officers searched her home on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru, where she and her spouse reside, after the interception. Gold jewelry valued at Rs. 2.06 crore and Indian money worth Rs. 2.67 crore were found during the search, according to the DRI.
