Bengaluru, April 9: The Karnataka High Court has postponed the hearing of actor Ranya Rao's bail plea in a gold smuggling case until April 17. The court has instructed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to file objections.
Earlier, on April 2, the Special Court for Economic Offenses sent Sahil Jain, the third accused in the case, to 14-day judicial custody. Jain was presented before the court after his custody period ended.
Ranya Rao, arrested on March 3 at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport for carrying gold, had approached the Karnataka High Court for bail on April 1, following a session court’s denial of her request. Her lawyer, BS Girish, submitted the petition, which the High Court will review next week.
On March 27, the 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru had rejected Rao's bail application. The case also involves the arrest of two foreign nationals on March 6 at Mumbai Airport, who were attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold, worth Rs. 18.92 crore, into India. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later filed an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other relevant sections, based on a complaint from Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Additional Director of DRI.
The DRI suspects a possible link between these smuggling activities and a syndicate operating from Dubai, with Rao having traveled to Dubai multiple times.
