March 5, 2025: Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night after being caught with nearly 15 kg of gold, officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confirmed.

Rao, who arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight, was under surveillance due to her frequent international travel. Officials found that she had allegedly smuggled the gold by wearing a portion of it as jewelry and concealing the rest in her clothing.

Authorities became suspicious after discovering that she had traveled to Dubai four times in the last 15 days, prompting a targeted operation upon her return. Investigators suspect that Rao may have attempted to use her connections to evade customs checks. Reports indicate that after landing, she allegedly introduced herself as the daughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police and even sought police escort to avoid scrutiny.

She was presented before an economic offenses court on Tuesday and has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody. Officials are now probing whether any law enforcement personnel, including her IPS officer relative, were aware of or involved in her activities.

Ranya Rao, known for her role opposite Kannada superstar Sudeep in Maanikya (2014), has also appeared in a few other South Indian films. Authorities are currently investigating whether she was acting alone or was part of a larger gold smuggling network operating between Dubai and India.