Ranya Rao breaks silence: Claims she was ‘trapped’ in gold smuggling case

Kannada actor Ranya Rao denied involvement in a gold smuggling racket during police questioning. She claimed she was trapped and insisted on her innocence.

During questioning by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Rao broke down and repeatedly said she was innocent. Earlier, she told her lawyers she couldn’t sleep and kept questioning why she got involved.

“I keep thinking why I got into it. My mind keeps going back to the day at the airport. I cannot sleep. I am experiencing mental trauma,” she told her lawyers in court on Friday.

Her latest statement contradicts her official confession to DRI, where she admitted to being caught with 17 gold bars. Records show she traveled not just to Dubai but also to Europe, America, and the Middle East. Authorities now want her to reveal who allegedly trapped her and how she got involved.

This case resembles a similar smuggling incident in Chennai last year. A Kerala-based software employee’s wife was caught smuggling 12 kg of gold from Dubai. Investigations later revealed she was blackmailed by a friend involved in smuggling. Officials suspect someone close to Rao might have pressured her into this act.

Ranya Rao was arrested on Monday at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. Authorities found gold bars worth ₹12 crore strapped to her body in a concealed belt. She was remanded to DRI custody until March 10. Officials also seized cash and jewelry worth crores from her residence.

Rao is the stepdaughter of senior Karnataka IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao. He distanced himself from her, stating he had no knowledge of her activities. He said she lives with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, and has no direct contact with him.

Meanwhile, the CBI has launched an investigation against international drug smugglers. Authorities are probing whether this case has any links to a larger smuggling network.

Investigators continue to press Rao for details. They seek clarity on whether she acted alone or under coercion. For now, she maintains her claim of being trapped, leaving officials with more questions than answers.