Kannada actor Ranya Rao, known for her roles in films like ‘Maanikya’ and ‘Pataki,’ was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3, 2025, in Bengaluru. She is the stepdaughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. K Ramachandra Rao, who is distancing himself from the matter.
DGP Rao told Times of India that he had no connection to his daughter’s activities. “She got married four months ago and hasn’t visited us since. We are unaware of her or her husband’s business dealings. This has come as a huge shock and disappointment. The law will take its course,” he said.
What is the row about?
DRI officials, who had been tipped off about her suspected involvement in gold smuggling, stationed a team at the airport ahead of her arrival.
Following the landing of her flight, she was arrested and taken into custody by the DRI. On March 4, 2025, Ranya was produced before a special court judge for financial offences, where she was remanded into judicial custody until March 18, 2025.
Before being transferred to custody, Ranya underwent a medical examination at Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru. The actress, during questioning, claimed her visit to Dubai was for business purposes. However, DRI officials allege that she was carrying a significant amount of gold intended to be smuggled into India.
According to the DRI, the gold in her possession weighed a total of 14.8 kilograms. As of now, Ranya remains in judicial custody while the DRI continues its investigation into the case.
The arrest comes after allegations that she was involved in smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai into India. In light of the situation, Congress MLA and Legal Advisor to the Karnataka Chief Minister, AS Ponnanna, made a statement regarding the arrest.
Ponnanna asserted that Ranya was being treated as any other accused, saying, “She is an accused for indulging in smuggling. The law will take its course, whether she is the DGP’s, the CM’s or the Prime Minister’s daughter…If there is any official nexus involved in this, it will come out in the investigation.”
Who is Ranya?
Originally from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya studied engineering at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bengaluru before stepping into the film industry, as reported by the Times of India.
She made her acting debut in 2014 with the Kannada film *Maanikya*, directed by and starring Sudeep, where she played Manasa, a wealthy young woman and the protagonist’s love interest.
Expanding her career beyond Kannada cinema, she entered the Tamil industry in 2016 with *Wagah*, a romantic drama alongside Vikram Prabhu. The following year, she returned to Kannada films with *Pataki*, a comedy in which she portrayed Sangeetha, a journalist and the love interest of Ganesh’s character.