BENGALURU: DGP K Ramachandra Rao, step-father of prime accused in the Bengaluru gold smuggling case Ranya Rao, is said to have been questioned by Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, and his team on Monday. CID DIG Vamsi Krishna assisted the team.
On March 10, the state government appointed Gupta to conduct an inquiry into the misuse of protocol privileges and the role of Rao in the case. Ranya is alleged to have exploited the privileges granted to Rao to bypass security checks at airports to smuggle out gold.
The government, on March 15, ordered Rao, MD of Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation, to go on compulsory leave.
Ranya’s bail plea adjourned
The hearing of the fresh bail petition filed by Ranya was adjourned to March 19.
The sessions court directed the counsel of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to file objections by the next hearing. After Ranya’s initial bail petition was dismissed by the Special Court for Economic Offences on March 14, her advocates filed a fresh bail petition before the sessions court.
The hearing of the bail petition of Tarun Konduru Raju, an associate of Ranya, was adjourned by the Special Court for Economic Offences to Tuesday.
Ranya Rao’s associate Raju’s plea adjourned to Tuesday
Raju was arrested by DRI officers on March 9 and was taken into custody for five days. Raju’s advocates filed a petition for bail on Friday.
‘No info from Centre
When some MLCs sought Home Minister G Parameshwara’s response to the gold smuggling case during the Council session, he said the Centre did not share any information with the state government. Hence, he could not comment on the issue, he added.