Nearly two weeks after the arrest of Ranya Rao in connection with gold smuggling, the actress has levelled physical abuse allegations against the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), responsible for detaining her on March 3. According to reports, in a letter to the Additional Director General of DRI, the actress claimed that she was slapped multiple times and coerced into signing documents by the authorities, including blank pages.
"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," Rao said.
"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," the letter continued.
The actress also accused the authorities of withholding food and denying sleep since she was detained at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport.
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Earlier, an image of Rao had gone viral, sparking concerns over her situation in custody. The photo shows the Kannada actress with bruises on her face, particularly noticeable under her eyes. The image has raised worries about her well-being while in custody, with questions about whether she is receiving adequate care and if she may be subject to physical abuse.
Furthermore, Rao, the step-daughter of Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, alleged that she was arrested on the Emirates aircraft, outbound from Dubai, and taken into custody by the DRI upon her arrival, giving her no chance to explain herself.
The letter to the senior DRI official comes a day after the actress was denied bail by a special Bengaluru court.
