Ranya Rao says ‘emotionally broken’, denies physical torture by DRI as viral image with swollen eyes surfaces

Karnataka actress Ranya Rao, under investigation for gold smuggling, broke down in court again on Monday while stating that she had not undergone any physical torture while in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

A couple of days ago, an image of Ranya Rao went viral, showing her with dark circles around her eyes. The image triggered speculation about physical torture.

Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao was arrested a week ago for allegedly smuggling gold worth ₹12 crore from Dubai.

On Monday, Ranya Rao clarified that she had not undergone any physical torture in the DRI custody. Rao made the submissions before a special court in Bengaluru, which sought to know if she was physically tortured in custody.

“I was verbally tortured and threatened. I am traumatised and emotionally broken,” Ranya Rao said in Bengaluru court.

The DRI dismissed the charge of physical torture and said the entire procedure (involving arrest and interrogation) had been recorded on CCTV.

On 8 March, while talking to her lawyers, Ranya Rao broke down in court and said, “I keep thinking why did I get into it. My mind keeps going back to the day at the airport. I cannot sleep…I am having mental trauma,” reported The Indian Express.

Ranya Rao remanded to 14 days' judicial custody

Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a gold smuggling case, was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a special court for economic offences on Monday.

The actress was in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence for three days for interrogation.

On Monday, the DRI officials produced her before the court where she broke down. Investigators revealed that Ranya Rao had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last six months.

It also noted that the alleged modus operandi used by the actress to smuggle the 14.2 kg of gold illegally into India was “by wrapping the gold bars with the help of crepe bandage and tissues around her body parts”.

The DRI said it seized the gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore from Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

Ranya Rao is the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao.

Ranya Rao allotted land for steel plant during BJP regime in Karnataka

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has said that Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was recently arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai, was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous BJP government in February 2023.

The board was reacting to reports that a company linked to the actor was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the KIADB in 2023. Sensing that the case was taking a political turn, the office of Minister for Medium and Large Industries M B Patil shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district.

The Congress came to power after defeating the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls in May 2023.