Bengaluru News: BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal made a vulgar comment on Kannada actress Ranya Rao arrested for allegedly smuggling more than 14 kg gold from Dubai. The minister said the actress concealed the gold "wherever she had holes".
"She had gold all over her body, hiding it wherever she had holes, and smuggled it in," the minister said while talking to reporters.
Yatnal said he will name all the ministers involved in this case in the Assembly session. "I have gathered complete information about her relationships, who helped her obtain security, and how the gold was brought in," he said.
"I will expose everything in the session. Whoever is guilty must be held accountable, can we defend someone just because they are a central government employee? There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them," he added.
The actress has said she was wrongly accused in the case. In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of the DRI in Bengaluru on March 6, Ranya claimed that a false case had been foisted on her.
Ranya Rao Alleges Assault
She alleged she was assaulted by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials and forced to sign blank papers.
The actress further claimed that from the time she was detained until she was produced before the court, she was slapped in the face 10 to 15 times.
"Despite repeated hitting and slapping, I refused to sign the statement they prepared, Ranya said in the letter.
Ranya's stepfather Ramchandra Rao, a DGP-rank officer in Karnataka, was sent on compulsory leave on Saturday. He serves as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
The actress's father claimed he was unaware of the incident and got to know about her arrest only through media reports.