‘Slapped, Denied Food, Forced To Sign Papers’: Ranya Rao Alleges Custodial Assault In Gold Smuggling Case

In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of DRI, Ranya Rao insisted on her innocence and claimed she had been wrongfully implicated.

Ranya Rao described her interrogation experience as inhumane, alleging she was slapped multiple times, denied food, and coerced into signing blank papers. 

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Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who is currently facing charges in a gold smuggling case, has alleged that the investigators from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) subjected her to physical assault, denied her food and forced her to sign blank documents during interrogation. In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of DRI, Rao insisted on her innocence and claimed she had been wrongfully implicated.

In her complaint to the DRI, Rao described her interrogation experience as inhumane, alleging she was slapped multiple times, denied food, and coerced into signing blank papers, as per a report on India Today. 

"I am writing this letter to you with the false case registered against me, making allegations that while I was coming from Dubai, I was found carrying gold weighing more than 14 kilograms. Your officers did not even permit me to explain that I am innocent in this matter. They apprehended me from inside the aircraft and from that time of my apprehension from the aircraft till I was produced before a court, substantially, I was hit and slapped on my face about 10-15 times by the officers whom I can identify," she alleged, reported IANS.

Bengaluru Court Denies Bail

Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardhini Ranya, remains in Bengaluru Central Prison after a special court denied her bail. The court cited the gravity of the offense, emphasising its potential impact on the country’s economy. Additionally, it noted that the actress had traveled to Dubai 27 times since January 2025, raising suspicions about her possible involvement in smuggling operations.

The Special Court for Economic Offences, presided over by Judge Vishwanath C Gowdar, observed that Rao was allegedly caught attempting to smuggle 14.2 kilograms of gold into India. Authorities claim the gold was concealed in multiple ways, including taped to her legs and waist, hidden in her jeans pockets, and even placed inside her shoes, as per a report on IANS. Investigators also suspect that she had help from a State Police Protocol Officer to evade immigration and customs scrutiny.

The case has attracted the attention of multiple investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alongside the DRI. Meanwhile, the state government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe the possible involvement of Rao’s stepfather, DGP K Ramachandra Rao, and to examine whether there were any lapses in law enforcement oversight.