Bengaluru Court Denies Bail to Ranya Rao in Gold Smuggling Case

(Bengaluru 27 march2025): 

Bengaluru's 64th CCH Sessions Court has rejected Ranya Rao's bail application in a gold smuggling case. The court reached this conclusion on Thursday.

Sahil Jain, who is accused of assisting Ranya Rao in selling smuggled gold, has been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and will be in police custody until March 29.

Ranya Rao was detained on March 3 at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport when DRI officials found her in possession of gold. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently filed a First Information Report (FIR) on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta, the Additional Director of DRI.

An FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988 and various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) was registered. In its complaint, it is alleged that two foreign nationals were arrested from Mumbai Airport on March 6 for attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India worth Rs. 18.92 crore.

As per the complaint, following the arrest of Ranya Rao, the two foreign nationals were also arrested on March 6 at Mumbai Airport for trying to smuggle the gold in.

The CBI has filed an FIR in the gold smuggling case on the complaint of Abhishek Chandra Gupta. The FIR contains charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS). The complaint mentions serious offenses under sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2014), and section 61(2) of BNS.

Abhishek Chandra Gupta, in his complaint, stated that such cases of travelers from Dubai attempting to smuggle huge quantities of gold indicate a "possible connection" with an organized smuggling ring that could be operating out of Dubai (UAE).In the case of Ranya Rao, she visited Dubai several times, whereas the two foreign nationals who were arrested had entered the Mumbai airport several times before.

Gupta, in his complaint, also suspected the possibility of the involvement of public servants and others.