Ranya Rao, actor and the daughter of a senior IPS officer, was one step away from clearing airport security at Bengaluru when a team of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted her and recovered gold bars worth Rs 12 crore she was allegedly smuggling.

The 33-year-old actor, who started her career with 2014 Kannada film Maanikya, had flown in from Dubai on an Emirates flight on Monday. It is alleged that two people accompanying her were carrying the smuggled gold in briefcases. They had almost cleared security at the Kempegowda airport and were about to exit when a DRI team, which had specific intel about the smuggling attempt, stopped her and started a search.

“Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kg were found ingeniously concealed on person. The contraband, valued at Rs 12.56 crore was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,” a DRI statement said.

The search then moved to her home on Bengaluru’s Lavelle Road and the investigators found more there. “Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residential premises located at Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, where she resides with her husband. The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewelry worth Rs. 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs. 2.67 crore,” the DRI said.

“The lady passenger has been placed under arrest under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 and remanded to judicial custody. The total seizure in the case stands at Rs. 17.29 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks,” the agency’s statement said.

The agency noted that the haul of 14.2 kg is “one of the biggest seizures of gold” at Bengaluru airport in recent times.

According to reports, Ranya Rao had been making frequent short visits to Gulf countries and this put her on the DRI radar. 

Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer. The officer’s first wife had died and he married a woman who had two daughters from her first marriage. Ranya is one of them.