Kannada actress Ranya Rao sentenced to one-year jail in gold smuggling case

Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment in connection with a Rs 12.56 crore gold smuggling case. The verdict was issued under the provisions of the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), which allows for preventive detention without trial for up to a year in smuggling-related cases.

Also Read: ED seizes Rs 34.12 crore worth assets of actress Ranya Rao in gold smuggling case

Ranya Rao was arrested in March at Kempegowda International Airport after arriving from Dubai. Authorities seized 14.2 kg of gold bars from her possession, which were valued at Rs 12.56 crore. Although she was granted bail in May after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to file a chargesheet on time, she remained in custody under COFEPOSA.

In addition to her imprisonment, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties linked to her as part of a money-laundering probe. The attached assets are worth over Rs 34 crore and include a residence in Victoria Layout, a residential plot in Arkavathi Layout, industrial land in Tumkur, and agricultural land in Anekal taluk. These were seized under a provisional order issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Investigators allege that Ranya Rao was at the centre of a coordinated gold smuggling network operated with the help of several associates.