Gold smuggling case: Actor Ranya Rao's father, Ramachandra Rao, was frontrunner for DGP-IGP post

Kannada actor Ranya Rao (L) and Karnataka DGP Ramachandra Rao (R).

Kannada actor Ranya Rao's father Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-rank officer in Karnataka, was sent on 'compulsory leave' on Saturday. The IPS officer was serving as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Ranya Rao was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Bengaluru Airport on March 3 with 14.8 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore while returning from Dubai.

Ranya was reportedly being escorted by a police constable deployed for protocol services extended to IPS officers when she was intercepted by DRI sleuths. The constable, during questioning, revealed that there were standing instructions to receive Ranya whenever she returned from her foreign trips and that he had no idea of gold being smuggled in.

The state govt have reportedly directed Ramachandra Rao to go on a leave in a bid to avoid any possible embarrassment with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the case now.

Interestingly, Rao was one of the frontrunners for the DG-IGP's position - the top post in the state - favoured by state home department's senior officials, according to a report by Times of India.

Ramachandra Rao is likely to be summoned by the central agency for questioning next week, sources told TOI.

Meanwhile, the actress has written to the DRI additional director-general, ruling out her father's alleged involvement in the gold smuggling case.