NEW DELHI: The CBI has initiated an investigation into the suspected involvement of public servants in aiding gold smuggling from Dubai, following a complaint filed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), sources said.
The DRI had recently made two arrests, including that of actor Ranya Rao, in Bengaluru, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The DRI arrested Ranya at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) under the Customs Act, 1962, for smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore.
There were 14 gold bars, each weighing 1 kg, strapped to her thighs with tape and bandages. This was followed by the arrest of two foreign nationals, an Omani and a UAE citizen, who were caught at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on March 6 while attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold, worth Rs 18.92 crore, into India from Dubai.
The DRI also arrested Ranya's friend, Tarun Kondaraju, in connection with the gold smuggling and presented him in court on Tuesday. He had accompanied Ranya to Dubai.
"These two foreign nationals had previously arrived at the Mumbai airport multiple times," the DRI complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said. Searches at Rao's residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. She had also made multiple international trips, including to and from Dubai, officials said.
Ranya Rao's frequent travels — 25 visits to Dubai and other countries in the past year, including four in the fortnight leading up to her arrest — had caught the attention of Customs and Immigration authorities at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), who began profiling her due to her overseas trips.
The rapid succession of these arrests, involving alleged smugglers carrying large quantities of gold from Dubai and the high frequency of visits by both Indian and foreign nationals, has raised concerns about a possible "coordinated smuggling syndicate" operating out of Dubai, officials said.
The DRI roped in the CBI because of the larger national and international ramifications.
“The possibility of the involvement of unknown public servants of the government of India and other individuals in such a coordinated network needs to be investigated,” the DRI said.
Following the letter from the DRI, the CBI swung into action and registered an FIR against unidentified public servants and private individuals. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a case of money laundering against Rao and conducted searches.