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Kannada actress Ranya Rao got bail in a Rs 12.56 crore gold smuggling case, but she remains in custody due to a COFEPOSA detention order. Authorities suspect she was part of a larger smuggling network.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a major gold smuggling case, was granted bail on Tuesday by a special court in Bengaluru. She is the daughter of senior IPS officer Ramchandra Rao.
Rao and co-accused Tarun Kondaraju were granted the conditional bail by by Economic Offences Court on two sureties each and Rs. 2 lakh bond.
The court has imposed a condition that they cannot leave the country and must not commit a similar crime.
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Ranya's lawyer BS Girish argued that the actress will not be released even if she gets bail.
A case has been registered against her under The Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA). This is currently challenged by Ranya's mother in High Court and next hearing in the case is scheduled on June 3.
Ranya, also known as Harshavardhani Ranya, was caught on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru with 14.8 kg of gold, allegedly smuggled from Dubai. Officials valued the gold at Rs 12.56 crore.
Investigators found that Ranya had travelled alone to Dubai 34 times between 2023 and 2025, leading them to believe she may be part of a bigger smuggling network. A search at her home led to the seizure of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash.
She has been charged under Sections 135 and 104 of the Customs Act, and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is also probing possible financial offences under Section 108.
The bail was granted after the DRI failed to file a chargesheet within the required 60-day period. However, Ranya will not be released immediately. A COFEPOSA detention order (used to prevent smuggling under national security concerns) is still in place and overrides the bail order.
