Gold smuggling case: Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP Ramchandra Rao sent on ‘compulsory leave’ with immediate effect

Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, key accused in the gold smuggling case

Karnataka government, in an official order, has sent IPS officer and actress Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP Ramchandra Rao, on compulsory leave following an inquiry initiated by the state government

Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K. Ramachandra Rao, who currently serves as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

“Sri KV Sharath Chandra, IPS (KN-1997)) Additional Director General of Police, Recruitment is placed in Concurrent Charge of the post of Chairman & Managing Director, Karnataka State Police Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, Bengaluru with immediate effect and until further orders, vice Dr. K. Ramachandra Rao, IPS sent on compulsory leave,” an official order read.

K V Sharath Chandra, Additional Director General of Police (Recruitment), will replace him, the government order added. The Karnataka government, on March 10, appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe Rao's possible involvement in Ranya's alleged gold smuggling activities.

According to reports, the protocol officer who assisted Kannada actor Ranya Rao, recently arrested for gold smuggling, has alleged that Karnataka DGP Ramachandra Rao had explicitly instructed him to provide assistance at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.

Meanwhile,  Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a gold smuggling case last week, approached Sessions Court in Bengaluru for bail. Her move came after the Special Court for Economic Offences here denied her bail. While denying bail to Ranya Rao, the Special Court for Economic Offences said that the charges against the actress were serious.

Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai.

The investigation thus far uncovered a sophisticated smuggling methodology, including the use of a State Police Protocol Officer to bypass security, hawala transactions to transfer funds from India to Dubai for purchasing gold, and the involvement of a larger syndicate, the DRI told the court.