The senior Karnataka police officer whose stepdaughter Ranya Rao was arrested smuggling nearly 15 kg of gold, has distanced himself further from her, saying she got married four months ago and has not been in touch since. There has been a “clear and definitive separation” with his family was how Ramachandra Rao, Director-General of Police  of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, described it in a statement. 

“I have valued my work above all else with a commitment to serving people and upholding my responsibilities. It is deeply distressing that, despite this lifelong dedication, my reputation and family’s future are now being tarnished by something beyond our control,” the statement added.

“I understand that in speculative times like these, my years of hard work may be unfairly associated with these events… I respectfully ask from everyone, fairness towards both myself and my family,” he added.

Ranya Rao, a Kannada actor, is one of the two daughters of Mr Rao’s second wife. 

The 33-year-old was arrested at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda airport by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence or DRI on Monday. She was carrying 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12 crore, part of which was concealed in her clothes. There are also reports saying two aides carried gold bars in briefcases. 

She made 27 trips to Dubai in the past year. This time, she had cleared security check and was caught just a few feet away from the exit, sources have said. 

The DRI officials said a subsequent search of her home where she lived with her husband has revealed gold jewelry worth Rs. 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs. 2.67 crore.

Mr Rao today underscored that Ranya Rao has not contacted her family since her marriage. 

“Ranya got married to Jatin Hukkeri in 2024,” he said. “Since then, they have maintained complete independence and privacy. She stopped visiting the family home and we were also not given opportunities to visit them in their new home resulting in a clear and definitive separation between us and them,” his statement read. 

Describing himself as a “heartbroken parent”, he said, “No words can truly express the depth of my shock, pain, and devastation by the recent developments. This is an extremely difficult time for my family and me, and we are struggling to process it”.

The officer also added that “If there is any violation of law on the part of Ranya, the law will take its course”.