Gold smuggling case: Actress Ranya Rao's DGP stepfather sent on compulsory leave

The Karnataka government on Saturday sent DGP-rank officer K. Ramachandra Rao on compulsory leave, days after his stepdaughter and Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai earlier this month.

The government order, however, didn't specify any reason for the action against the IPS officer.

Rao was serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation. K.V. Sharath Chandra, Additional Director General of Police (Recruitment), will replace him.

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

Ranya was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru upon her arrival from Dubai on March 3. Gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from the actress.

Subsequently, officials raided her residence and recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.

The DRI claimed that Ranya had travelled to Dubai 27 times since January. The agency told a Special Court for Economic Offences that the Karnataka Police Protocol Officer was used in the gold smuggling racket.

"The investigation till date has unearthed the sophisticated methodology used in smuggling the gold, usage of State Police Protocol Officer to bypass security, Hawala Transaction to transfer the funds from India to Dubai to purchase gold, involvement of larger syndicate," the DRI contented in the court.

Ranya, meanwhile, claimed innocence and alleged that the DRI officials assaulted her and forced her to sign blank and typed papers.