Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who is the stepdaughter of a high-ranking police officer recently detained for gold smuggling, has refuted any connection to the operation. According to sources, she stated that she felt "trapped" while being interrogated by authorities. The actress was apprehended with gold bars valued at Rs 12 crore concealed in a hidden belt around her body. During her questioning, she became emotional but maintained her innocence in front of officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
A recent development has brought a new angle to the case, as Ranya confessed to the crime in her official statement to the DRI. In her account, she acknowledged that 17 gold bars were found in her possession and mentioned her travels not only to Dubai but also to Europe, America, and the Middle East. The conflicting statements from the actor have prompted investigators to explore whether she was unwittingly entangled in a smuggling operation or if she played an active role in it. Authorities are keen to determine if Ranya was indeed "trapped" and are urging her to disclose who was behind the operation and the circumstances that led to her involvement.
Sources indicate that this case resembles an incident from last year in Chennai, where the wife of a software employee from Kerala was apprehended for smuggling 12 kg of gold from Dubai. Further investigations uncovered that she had been blackmailed by a friend linked to gold smuggling.
What has left authorities baffled is that Ranya, who comes from a wealthy family, was found to be involved in smuggling. Her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, holds a prominent position in a UK-based IT company. Officials suspect that, similar to the Chennai incident, Ranya may have been influenced by someone close to her.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)