Overview

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) presented new forensic evidence linking actress Ranya Rao, Tarun Konduru Raju, and jeweller Sahil Jain to an alleged gold smuggling operation.
• Investigators allege that Rao and Raju traveled to Dubai and returned to Bengaluru on the same day at least 25 times to smuggle gold, using deceptive flight itineraries to misdeclare their cargo.
• The DRI claims the accused declared gold at Dubai airport as destined for Geneva or Bangkok but instead smuggled it into India without canceling the other tickets.
• Ranya Rao’s stepfather, a senior police officer, is under scrutiny for allegedly facilitating VIP airport protocols for her, raising questions of preferential treatment.
• The Karnataka High Court postponed the bail hearing to April 23 to allow the DRI to submit additional sealed findings on the accused’s smuggling modus operandi.