Gold-smuggling case: ED attaches Ranya Rao’s assets worth over Rs 34 crore

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached assets worth over Rs 34 crore belonging to Kannada actor Ranya Rao in connection with a gold smuggling and money-laundering case. The action was a result of an eagle-eyed probe that unveiled Rao’s involvement in a "well-structured" operation that she “orchestrated”.

On March 3, Rao, who flew into Bengaluru from Dubai via an Emirates flight, was flagged, detained, and questioned by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at the Kempegowda International Airport, following a tip-off they received. Upon inspection, the authorities discovered 14.2 kg of gold on her person, who also managed to conceal gold bars in her clothing. The seized gold was valued at a whopping Rs 12.56 crore.

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The ED launched a money laundering investigation based on the DRI complaint and a CBI FIR linked it to a broader gold smuggling racket. A provisional court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has now been issued to attach multiple properties owned by Rao, which includes a house in Victoria Layout, a plot located in Arkavathi Layout in Bengaluru, an industrial land in Tumkur and an agricultural land in Anekal taluk. The PMLA noted that the combined fair market value of the assets amounted to Rs 34.12 crore.

The ED stated that these assets are the proceeds of crime, generated from repeated smuggling operations financed via hawala channels. According to the agency, the gold was smuggled from Dubai and Uganda and shifted to India under the false pretence of transporting it to Switzerland or the United States in an effort to evade customs.

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"Ranya Rao, in active collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation for smuggling gold into India. Gold was procured from suppliers based in Dubai, Uganda and other jurisdictions, and payments were made through hawala channels in cash, thereby circumventing legal financial systems," the agency said.

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