BENGALURU: The Special Court for Economic Offences on Wednesday reserved the bail plea of Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of Ramchandra Rao, DGP Karnataka Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation, till Friday.
During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Madhu Rao, representing the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), told the court that the protocol officer of the state police was summoned to disclose the protocol violations by Ranya.
The SPP told the court that the protocol officer admitted before the DRI to having received instructions from the police department to help the family members of police officers. The officer also admitted granting protocol meant for senior officers to Ranya to evade security checks at the Kempegowda International Airport.
It is said that the 33-year-old actress would tell the protocol officer when her flight would land and the officer would wait at the immigration to pick up her luggage to facilitate security clearance. By violating protocol, Ranya would bypass frisking at the airport. The SPP told the court that Ranya exploited VIP airport protocols meant for senior officers.
Ranya, during her three-day DRI custody, is also said to have not cooperated in the investigations.
The DRI, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted Ranya, who had arrived from Dubai to Bengaluru via an Emirates flight on March 3. Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kg valued at Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her. Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residence at Lavelle Road and seized gold jewellery worth Rs. 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.
Ranya was arrested under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, is presently in judicial custody.
DKS RUBBISHES CLAIMS OF MINISTERS’ NEXUS WITH RANYA
Bengaluru: With the DRI and CBI probing the gold smuggling case, many, including some Congress leaders, are said to be digging into the alleged nexus of ministers with accused Ranya Rao. Sources said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is likely to get a report confidentially from Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, who has been assigned to probe the misuse of the ‘protocol privilege’ by Ranya being the stepdaughter of Ramchandra Rao, DGP Karnataka Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
However, asked if a minister was involved in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar termed it all a rumour and a plot of the Opposition BJP. “It is just a rumour and the game plan of the BJP. We all go to weddings and public events where we get photographed with many people. Can it be said that a person is related to a minister just because he is standing next to him? No minister abets a crime,” he maintained.
The CM has also ordered an internal investigation into misuse of protocol rules, he added. “When I came back from Dubai, they made me remove my ring, watch and belt. I am surprised how 14 kg of gold was smuggled through despite the presence of high security,” he exclaimed. Senior leader TB Jayachandra also termed the matter a rumour and suggested the BJP to trace the minister and name the person.