Court Denies Bail to Kannada Actress in High-Profile Gold Smuggling Case

Kannada actress Ranya Rao's bail plea in a gold smuggling case has been rejected for the third time by a Bengaluru court. Authorities allege her involvement in hawala transactions and misuse of security protocols, with arrests totaling three, including her aide Tarun Raj and merchant Sahil Jain.

On Thursday, a sessions court in Bengaluru rejected the bail plea of Kannada actress Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling case, marking the third such denial.

The prosecution revealed Ranya Rao's admission to using hawala channels for facilitating gold purchases. Subsequently, a judicial investigation has been initiated to dig deeper into potential financial irregularities.

The case also involves Ranya's aide, Tarun Raj, and a merchant, Sahil Jain, bringing the total arrests to three. Searches of Ranya's residence yielded significant cash and gold, raising questions about her alleged misuse of her stepfather's name to bypass regulations.

(With inputs from agencies.)