Trouble mounts on Ranya as CBI intensifies probe amidst DRI investigation; CID probe taken back

Bengaluru: More trouble for actress Ranya Rao in the gold smuggling case as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is prepared to seek her custody, a top-rank police officer said.

The development followed CBI raids on two locations in central Bengaluru on Monday and Tuesday. Ranya is currently lodged in judicial custody after her custody to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) ended.

The state government had issued an order asking the CID to probe the possible connection of K. Ramachandra Rao’s role in aiding his daughter Ranya on Tuesday. However, the order has been taken back as Gaurav Gupta’s team is already probing it.

Ranya, 33, was arrested by the DRI sleuths on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, seizing gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru.

The raids at two locations in central Bengaluru, linked to Ranya, were conducted after the CBI took up a suo motu to probe the larger network of gold smuggling operating in India and the possible involvement of central agency officers in the trade.

.Bengaluru Court reserves judgment on Kannada actress Ranya Rao's bail plea. “The CBI has also questioned multiple people who were previously accused in Hawala cases and people linked to that network. Next, the agency will focus on acquiring Ranya’s custody,” the top-ranking officer in the Karnataka police told DH.

According to the officer, CBI is focusing on three different aspects in this case: the existence of gold smuggling rackets, the possible involvement of officers from central agencies, and the channels used by these networks for monetary transactions.

While the CBI is targeting a larger gold smuggling syndicate, DRI is completely focusing on Ranya’s case to deconstruct the network behind her.

Additionally, a team formed by the state government, headed by Gaurav Gupta, the Additional Chief Secretary to the Karnataka government, is probing the role of Ranya's father, Director General of Police (DGP) K. Ramachandra Rao, in her misuse of "bureaucratic protocol”.

The police officer explained that all three agencies will investigate independently as they are probing different aspects. However, all the agencies will seek reports of other agencies’ investigations—both officially and unofficially—to understand missing links and build their own case.

For example, the CBI will hunt all links and contacts of Ranya, including her family members, and look for patterns in communication, monetary transactions, and frequent meet-ups. If something matches up, they will probe it further.

In this case, Ranya’s brother was interrogated in the infamous Bitcoin case, which is being probed by a Special Investigation Team.

“CBI will seek SIT’s report on its interrogation of Ranya’s brother. However, only possible connections with gold smuggling cases will be explored and nothing else,” the officer said.

A well-placed source in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), under whose watch the SIT is operating, confirmed to DH that the CBI hadn’t approached them for reports yet. The officer also confirmed that the SIT specifically won’t look into their case’s roots spreading into gold smuggling rackets.

Trouble mounts on Ranya as CBI intensifies probe amidst DRI investigation; CID probe taken back

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