Bengaluru, March 15 (IANS) A special Bengaluru court, rejecting the bail petition of jailed actress Ranya Rao aka Harshavardhini Ranya in the gold smuggling case, has held that the alleged offence has serious ramifications on the entire economy of the country, while also flagging that she had travelled 27 times to Dubai since January 2025.
The Special Court for Economic Offences on Friday rejected the bail petition of the actress, who is presently lodged at the Bengaluru Central Prison. The case is being investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Meanwhile, the state government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe the involvement of Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao and police lapses.
In his order, special judge Vishwanath C. Gowdar noted: “In the case on hand, the accused No.1 (Ranya Rao) possessing Resident Identity Card of UAE and having a history of travelled to Dubai on 27 occasions since January 2025, is another factor which does not incline the court to extend discretionary relief of granting bail…”
“The grounds set out by the accused No.1 (Ranya Rao) in the bail application as well as during the course of arguments are subject matter of trial, as the alleged offence is having serious ramifications on the entire economy of the country. Moreover, the same is the subject matter of trial, the very fact as to accused No.1 having concealed the contraband is sufficient to gather her mens rea (the intention or knowledge of wrongdoing that constitutes part of a crime, as opposed to the action or conduct of the accused) to commit an offence,” the court stated.
“Having due regarding the fact as to the investigation is yet to be concluded, the gravity of the offence being that of economic offence which very much affects the financial health of the country and poses the threat to the genuine traders dealing with gold,” it said.
The court also noted that Ranya Rao “having not extended her full co-operation during the course of investigation is also a factor, which inclines the court to hold that at this stage of proceedings, there are no any valid and tenable grounds to enlarge the accused No.1 on bail, for the reasons more fully discussed supra”.
“The apprehension of the complainant as to the accused No.1 will throttle the witnesses and flee away from the process of court cannot be ruled out at this juncture.”
“Prima facie at this juncture, the allegations against the accused No.1 are very much forthcoming and the concealment of the gold by her in the form of gold bars while travelling is very much transpiring the intention of the accused No.1, the evasion calculated at the preliminary stage of investigation is amounting to Rs 4,83,72,694, which is very much greater than the threshold of Rs 50 lakh prescribed u/s104 (6) (a) of the Customs Act,” the court underlined.
“Furthermore, the remand applications placed on record at this stage of proceedings disclose the conspiracy hatched by the accused No.1 by colluding with the State Police Protocol Officer so also, the arguments of the complainant Agency as to usage of Hawala transaction for transfer of money from India to Dubai and also the International links being forthcoming as per the preliminary investigation is also a factor which inclines this court to hold the accused No.1 being capable to manipulate and tamper the evidence as well as witnesses, which consequently hampers the very trial in the case on hand.”
The court also noted that on an overall examination of the case papers, it transpires the allegations against the actress are “serious in nature” as she “attempted to smuggle the gold into India weighing 14213.05 grams in the form of bars by way of concealment by taping the gold bars to her body parts, such as legs, tied to calf muscle, waist area with the help of tape i.e., medical adhesive bandage and also in her front jeans trouser pockets as well as inside the sole of her shoes, with the assistance of State Police Protocol Officer, so as to bypass the Immigration and Customs formalities”.
It held that Ranya Rao having entered into the Green Channel in the International Arrival Hall at Terminal-2, KIAL in itself, “discloses her intention not to make any declaration at the airport and criminal intention to evade the payment of duty and penalty”.
“The ground as to the accused No.1 is entitled to be released on bail on account of being a woman as per proviso to sub-Section-1 of Section 480 of BNSS, at this stage of proceedings in the background of allegations set out in the remand applications as well as the statement of objections, does not incline the court to hold that there are reasonable grounds to believe accused No.1 not being guilty at this stage of proceedings,” the court opined.
Duly considering the arguments by the actress’ counsel for her “being entitled to such a benefit have been duly considered, as the facts and circumstances leading to the case on hand are being detrimental to the national security and the revenue of the country”, this court said that it “is not inclined to exercise the discretion of granting bail in favour of the accused No.1 at this juncture”.
–IANS
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