Who is Ranya Rao? Actress arrested at Bengaluru Airport for gold smuggling

Ranya Rao, a Kannada and Tamil actress, was detained at Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence as she was claimed to be smuggling gold worth Rs 12 crore. 

The gold smuggling incident involving Ranya Rao

Ranya arrived in Bengaluru from Dubai along with two people. She was approached by DRI officials, according to reports. The officials seized gold bars weighing 14.8 kg that were concealed in their baggage and on Ranya’s body. The group was reportedly apprehended after bypassing security, which indicates that the group’s attempt to smuggle gold was close to succeeding.

The incident has gained significant attention due to Ranya’s connection to a senior IPS officer, her stepfather, in Karnataka. While his involvement remains unclear, the case has sparked intrigue over possible connections to a broader smuggling network. Ranya has been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days as the investigation continues.

Who is Ranya Rao?

Ranya, who was born in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, attended Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering to earn her degree in engineering before attending the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute. She made her film debut with Maanikya (2014), which starred Sudeep in the lead role. Later, she starred the Kannada comedy Pataki (2017) and made her Tamil film debut with Wagah (2015).

Despite her steady presence in the industry, she struggled to secure a breakout role. According to reports, she was already under DRI surveillance due to her frequent visits to Dubai, which ultimately resulted in her arrest in this well-known case.