A Bengaluru court on Monday adjourned the hearing on the bail petition of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, arrested in connection with the gold smuggling case, till March 19.
Ranya approached the Civil and Sessions Court after her bail petition was rejected by the the Special Court for Economic Offences last week.
The CCH court directed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to file its objections before the next hearing.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court extended the interim relief to Ranya’s husband Jatin Hukkeri and directed the DRI not to initiate punitive action against him without following due legal procedures. The court posted the matter to March 24 for further hearing.
The high court had given immunity to Hukkeri from arrest in an order on March 11.
Senior counsel Prabhuling Navadgi, appearing for Hukkeri, submitted that his client had no involvement in the gold smuggling case and is cooperating with the investigation fully.
Raju remanded
Meanwhile, Tarun Raju, the second accused in the case, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.
Investigating agencies claim that Raju played a crucial role in facilitating the smuggling operation by managing the logistics of gold transportation and distribution within India.
Ranya was arrested 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 Karnataka government has sent Ranya’s stepfather and DGP-level officer K. Ramachandra Rao on compulsory leave on Saturday.
