BENGALURU: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has imposed a fine of Rs 270 crore on 33-year-old Ranya Rao, alias Harshavardhini Ranya, and three others accused in the alleged gold smuggling case.
The DRI officials have issued show cause notices to Ranya, Tarun Konduru Raju, Sahil Sakariya Jain and Bharat Kumar Jain. The show cause notices with around 2500 pages of supporting documents were reportedly served to the accused inside the Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara where they are lodged.
The DRI officials have told the accused that their properties could be attached if the fine amount is not paid for smuggling over 127 kilograms of gold. Among the four Ranya has to pay a fine of Rs 102.55 crores.
Raju is accused of smuggling 72.6 kg of gold and has to reportedly pay Rs 62 crore penalty. Sahil and Bharat, both are accused of smuggling 63.61 kg each, have to pay a fine of Rs 53 crore each. The proceedings against the accused have been initiated under different sections of the Customs Act.
It may be recalled that Ranya was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in the city on March 3, 2025, after arriving from Dubai and 14.8 kilograms of gold bars worth around Rs 12.56 crore was recovered.
Ranya, accused of gold smuggling, tax evasion, and money laundering, allegedly made 34 trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025, smuggling 49.6 kg of gold worth over Rs 40 crore. Though granted default bail after the DRI missed the chargesheet deadline, she remains in custody as she was sentenced to one year under the strict COFEPOSA Act, which bars her from securing bail.
The DRI arrested Raju on March 9, followed by Sahil, a jeweller from Ballari, on March 26. Later, on July 23, Bharat, a jeweller and suspected hawala trader from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, and a relative of Sahil, was also arrested.