Indian actress arrested for gold smuggling at airport!

Bollywood actress Ranya Rao has been arrested at Bengaluru Airport for attempting to smuggle 14 kg of gold.

According to Indian media reports, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted the actress during a security clearance check and recovered gold worth ₹12 crore from her possession.

The 33-year-old actress, known for her debut in the 2014 Kannada film Manikya, arrived in Bengaluru from Dubai via an Emirates flight on Monday. Authorities claim she was travelling with two accomplices who had concealed gold bars inside briefcases. Just as they were about to clear security, the DRI team stopped them and conducted a search.

Following her arrest, authorities raided her residence on Lavelle Road, Bengaluru, where they discovered additional gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and ₹2.67 crore in cash. In total, smuggled assets worth ₹17.29 crore were confiscated.

The DRI confirmed that the actress has been taken into judicial custody under the Customs Act of 1962, marking one of the largest gold seizures at Bengaluru Airport in recent years.

Reports suggest Ranya Rao was under DRI surveillance due to her frequent short trips to Gulf countries. Interestingly, she is also the stepdaughter of a senior IPS officer.