Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Kannada actor walks out of jail after 1-year detention

BENGALURU: Kannada actor Ranya Rao walked out of prison Wednesday following the completion of her one-year detention period under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act. She is the daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, currently under suspension for being seen in a sleaze video while in police uniform.

Ranya's detention period, which ran from April 22, 2025, to April 22, 2026, officially concluded this morning. Her release comes just one week after the Supreme Court upheld the detention order against her and her associate, Sahil Sakaria Jain, dismissing a final plea for an early release.

The legal saga began on the night of March 3, 2025, when sleuths from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport. During the search, officials discovered 14.2 kilograms of gold bars concealed on her.

Following the seizure, the DRI initiated proceedings under the COFEPOSA Act, citing the scale of the operation and the need to prevent further smuggling activities. The Act allows authorities to detain individuals without trial for up to one year as a preventive measure.

According to the DRI, along with subsequent investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Rao and her associates allegedly smuggled a total of 127 kilograms of gold into India between March 2024 and March 2025.

The DRI has since imposed a penalty of Rs 102.5 crore on Ranya Rao in connection with the gold smuggling case.


Get real-time updates and result insights on the UP Board Result 2026, UP Board 10th Result 2026 and UP Board 12th Result 2026