A major gold smuggling case led to the DRI arresting Tarun Raju, who is the grandson of Atria Hotel’s owner, while operating in Bengaluru. The police apprehended Tarun Raju because of his connection with Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who authorities caught for gold smuggling worth Rs 12.56 crore through Kempegowda International Airport.
Officials arrested Tarun Raju based on their findings that he participated in the smuggling operation. The Special Economic Offences Court in Bengaluru authorized five days of questioning for the Director of Revenue Intelligence after the agency presented Tarun Raju to the court. Sources show that Tarun had a close friendship with Ranya while they conducted side businesses together in smuggling foreign gold shipments.
Their friendship seemed to decline when Ranya married architect Jatin Hukkeri, yet officials believe their illegal operations persisted. The arrest of Tarun depended heavily on his phone call with Ranya when she was transporting gold from Dubai. The Department of Revenue Intelligence conducted a house search where they discovered gold jewelry valued at Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency worth Rs 2.67 crore.
Ranya Rao’s Confession and Allegations
Ranya Rao revealed part of her smuggling activities while police questioned her in their interrogation. The authorities found 17 gold bars on her person, after which they examined her travel logs that showed 30 trips to Dubai while she made four round trips inside 15 days. The authorities suspect her of participating in at least one instance of illegal gold smuggling.
The investigation needed confidentiality from Ranya, who also provided assurance of full cooperation with authorities. She made an accusation. in court that DRI investigators mistreated her during their questions at the interrogation. The investigating officer refuted the accusation. because Ranya maintained silence throughout the questioning period and refused to work with investigators even when they displayed proof.
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Courtroom Drama and Legal Proceedings
Ranya Rao demonstrated high emotional intensity by making statements about the mental abuse she faced. While she denied being physically harmed, she accused officials of coercion. The judge questioned her legal team about why no petition was filed regarding her alleged mistreatment.
Ranya also alleged that she was pressured to sign documents against her will. “I have cooperated with the investigation, but they forced me to sign everything,” she told the judge, breaking into tears.
The Ongoing Probe
With Tarun Raju in custody, the DRI aims to uncover the full extent of the smuggling network. Further investigations and legal proceedings will determine the fate of those involved in this high-profile case.
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