Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 14: The Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru on Friday remanded Tarun Raju, the second accused in the gold smuggling case allegedly involving actress Ranya Rao, to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Judge Vishwanath C Goudar passed the order after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) informed the court that Tarun Raju’s custody with the agency had ended and requested that he be sent to judicial custody.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also intensified its probe into the case. On Thursday, ED officials conducted searches at multiple locations, including the residence of Tarun Raju on Kumara Park East Road in Bengaluru. Tarun Raju, a close associate of Ranya Rao and the grandson of a well-known hotel owner, is under scrutiny for his alleged involvement in hawala transactions linked to the smuggling racket.
The ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and is tracking financial transactions related to gold smuggling. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is examining the broader smuggling syndicate, its international connections, and the role of officials who may have facilitated the operation.
Karnataka additional chief secretary Gaurav Gupta, who has been tasked with investigating possible police lapses and collusion, visited Bengaluru International Airport on Friday as part of the probe. According to sources, Gupta gathered details on the officers Ranya Rao met before her arrest and examined her previous visits to the airport. The local deputy commissioner of police was also present during the inspection.
The ED on Thursday carried out searches at eight locations in Bengaluru and other cities. Officials also raided Ranya Rao’s residence on Lavelle Road, working late into the evening without breaks.
Ranya Rao was arrested last Monday at Bengaluru International Airport by DRI officials for allegedly smuggling gold. The state government initially ordered two separate probes into the role of her stepfather, DGP K Ramachandra Rao, in facilitating her access to police escorts and protocol privileges. However, the CID probe was withdrawn within 24 hours, triggering controversy.
With multiple agencies investigating the case, further developments are expected in the coming days.