Days after kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at the Bengaluru airport in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case, it has now been discovered that she admitted to the crime during her announcement to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
CNN-News18 has learned that in her first declaration to the DRI, Ranya Rao admitted that 17 pieces of gold bars have been recovered from her ownership.
Rao also found out that she now not only traveled to Dubai, but also Europe, the US, and the Middle East. However, she refused to provide any additional details and asked the authorities to allow her to rest.
Rao, the stepdaughter of director of police (Karnataka country police Housing agency) Ramachandra Rao, came under the radar of authorities due to a common journey to Dubai. She allegedly traveled to the town 30 times over the last year and 4 times in 15 days, bringing lower back pounds of gold each time.
Following her arrest, the Bengaluru Directorate of Revenue Intelligence recovered gold jewelry worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her Bengaluru home throughout raids. She has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody following the arrest.
The case, touted as one of the largest gold seizures in Karnataka, has also added multiplied scrutiny on Rao's husband, Jatin Hukkeri. police have alleged that he often traveled with the actress to Dubai, from where she allegedly smuggled gold.
Hukkeri married Ranya Rao in a high-profile marriage around 4 months ago at Taj West, after which they settled into an expensive apartment in Bengaluru's upscale Lavelle Road. Hukkeri is an architect with the aid of profession, keeping a Bachelor's degree in structure and interior layout from RV university of Engineering in Bengaluru. He pursued similar studies at the Royal college of Art—Govt Schooling, London, specializing in disruptive market innovation.