The senior police officer whose daughter – Ranya Rao, was arrested at Bengaluru airport Monday night after officials found 14.8kg of gold in her possession – said he was “shocked and devastated” when told of the news, and appeared also to distance himself from the entire affair.

Ramachandra Rao, the Director-General of Police for the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, told news agency ANI, “Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when the incident came to my notice through the media. I was not aware of any of these things…”

“She is not living with us… she is living separately with her husband. There must be some problem between them… (maybe) due to some family issues,” he said.

“The law will do its job. There is no black mark in my career. I don’t want to say anything more.”