Karnataka High Court Upholds Ranya Rao's Detention Amid Gold Smuggling Allegations

The Karnataka High Court upheld the preventive detention of Kannada actress Ranya Rao under COFEPOSA related to a gold smuggling case. The court dismissed a petition questioning the detention's legality. Rao was arrested with 14.2 kg of gold at the airport, allegedly bypassing customs using privileged airport access.

The Karnataka High Court has upheld the preventive detention of renowned Kannada actress Ranya Rao in a major gold smuggling case under COFEPOSA. Despite a petition from Rao's mother challenging the detention's legality, the court stood firm in its decision.

Actress Ranya Rao was detained by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3, 2025, with 14.2 kg of gold at Kempegowda International Airport. The DRI claims she attempted to evade customs checks by hiding gold in her attire and allegedly misused a VVIP exit to avoid scrutiny.

Further investigations led to the discovery of additional assets, including jewellery and cash, raising the total value to over Rs 17 crore. The case has caught significant attention due to alleged links with frequent trips to Dubai and exploitation of privileged airport access.