Actor Ranya Rao has claimed that she has been subjected to custodial torture and falsely implicated in the high-profile gold smuggling case. In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ms Rao alleges that she was arrested directly from the aircraft and not from the airport terminal, as officially stated. 

She further claimed she was physically assaulted, denied food and sleep, and coerced into signing blank documents under duress.

Her accusations come a day after a special court in Bengaluru denied her bail request. The case has taken a political turn, with the Karnataka government ordering a probe into the alleged involvement of Ms Rao’s stepfather, Karnataka Director General of Police K Ramachandra Rao, and investigating possible lapses by law enforcement authorities.

Ms Rao was arrested by the DRI at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after she was allegedly caught smuggling over 14 kg of gold from Dubai. However, in her letter from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, she insists she was detained inside the aircraft before disembarking, contradicting official reports.

The letter, submitted as part of a jail memo, contains claims of mistreatment. Ms Rao claimed that she was slapped multiple times, threatened with exposure of her father’s identity, and forced to sign blank papers. She alleged that she was being framed to shield more influential individuals involved in the smuggling network.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have joined the probe. 

On Friday, the Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru rejected Ms Rao’s bail plea.

“In the case on hand, the accused No.1 (Ranya Rao) possessing Resident Identity Card of UAE and having a history of travelled to Dubai on 27 occasions since January 2025, is another factor which does not incline the court to extend discretionary relief of granting bail,”  Special Judge Vishwanath C Gowdar observed.

The court said that the alleged offence has serious ramifications for the country’s economy, given the quantity of gold smuggled. It cited preliminary findings that suggest Ms Rao concealed gold bars by taping them to her body, placing them inside her jeans pockets, and even hiding them in her shoes.

The DRI has estimated the evasion of customs duties and penalties at Rs 4.83 crore, far exceeding the legal threshold of Rs 50 lakh under the Customs Act.