Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP Ramachandra Rao, sent on compulsory leave

Kannada actor Ranya Rao's stepfather Ramachandra Rao, who is DGP of Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, has been sent on compulsory a leave amid the gold smuggling allegations against the actor.

KV Sharath Chandra, Additional Director General of Police (Recruitment), has replaced him as the chairman and DM of Karnataka State Police Housing & Infrastructure Development Corporation in Bengaluru with immediate effect, according to a notification from Karnataka government.

The Karnataka government, on March 10, appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe Ramachandra Rao's possible involvement in Ranya Rao's alleged gold smuggling activities.

Ranya Rao aka Harshavardhini Ranya is the main accused in a gold smuggling case. Today, she filed a bail application in the Sessions Court after her bail application was rejected in the Economic Offences Court on Friday, March 14.

The Kannada actor was arrested on March 3 by the DRI at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAD) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai. Ranya Rao's arrest followed a tip-off regarding her involvement in smuggling gold into India.

Earlier in the day, Ranya Rao's letter to Additional Director General of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) surfaced in which she alleged that she was forced to 50-60 typed pages and 40 blank white pages by officers of the agency, an India Today report said.

In the letter, the Kannada actor also said that she was slapped 10-15 times and denied food.

Ranya Rao said, “From the moment of my apprehension until I was presented in court, I was physically assaulted, slapped 10-15 times by officers whom I can identify. Despite repeated assaults, I refused to sign the statements they prepared.”

“Under immense pressure and physical assault, I was forced to sign 50-60 typed pages and around 40 blank white pages prepared by the DRI officers,” she added.