Kannada actress gets bail in gold smuggling case

Kannada film actress Ranya Rao and co-accused Tarun Kondaru Raju were granted bail on Tuesday by a Special Court for Economic Offences here in connection with the gold smuggling case.

The court approved their default bail applications after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) failed to file a charge sheet within the stipulated period.

Presiding Judge Vishwanath C Gowdar allowed the bail on the condition that each accused executed a bond of Rs two lakh and furnish two sureties.

Additional conditions include a ban on leaving the country without court permission, full cooperation with the investigation, and a directive not to repeat the alleged offence.

Despite securing bail in the smuggling case, Ranya Rao will continue to remain behind bars.

Authorities have filed a separate case against her under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), a preventive detention law designed to tackle smuggling and preserve foreign exchange reserves.

Under COFEPOSA, individuals can be held without trial for up to a year based on suspicion of involvement in such activities.

Rao was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after arriving from Dubai. Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials detained her and recovered 14.2 kg of gold bars valued at over Rs 12.56 crore from her.

The investigation is ongoing, and Rao's release will now depend on the outcome of legal proceedings under COFEPOSA. -- PTI