Bengaluru:
A BJP legislator in Karnataka known for his outspoken comments has set off a new controversy with vulgar remarks about Ranya Rao, the Kannada actor facing a gold smuggling probe after being caught at the airport two weeks ago. Basangouda Patil Yatnal, an MLA from Bijapur City, made the remarks over an alleged gold smuggling attempt by the actor and claimed he knew which ministers were involved in the case.
Ms Rao was arrested with 14-kg gold bars hidden in her clothing after arriving from Dubai at the Bengaluru airport with preliminary probe hinting at the collusion of airport staff.
A video has gone viral showing Mr Yatnal telling reporters that all found guilty must be held accountable. Can someone be defended because they are a central government employee, he asked, referring to a senior IPS officer, the stepfather of the actor.
Ramachandra Rao, the DGP-level officer who had denied any link to the gold seizure, was sent on “compulsory leave” days after his stepdaughter’s arrest.
“There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them. She (Ranya Rao) had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she had holes, and smuggled it in,” Mr Yatnal was heard saying in Kannada.
Read: Arrested From Aircraft, Tortured: Actor Ranya Rao’s Explosive Allegations
He said in the video that he would name all ministers who he claimed were involved in the case during the upcoming assembly session.
“I have gathered complete information about her relationships, who helped her obtain security (clearance), and how the gold was brought in. I will expose everything in the session, including which hole she hid the gold and brought,” he added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had earlier rejected the involvement of any of his ministers in the smuggling case as “political gossip”.
Mr Patil is not new to controversies. His latest remark follows his repeated criticism of state unit chief BY Vijayendra, the son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. He had also called for Mr Yediyurappa’s removal when he was the chief minister.
In 2023, he was issued a notice by the Election Commission for labelling Congress leader Sonia Gandhi as “vishkanya”.
Back in 2020, Mr Yatnal had praised a decision to scrap a wedding scheme for poor women from minority communities and said “those who want the scheme can go to Pakistan”. He had also sparked a controversy by branding a freedom fighter, who died at 103 a year later, a “Pakistani agent” for his stand on the citizenship law.
