The arrest of South Indian film actress Rania Rao at the Bengaluru International Airport on March 3 has created a stir in the industry.
According to Indian media reports, Rania Rao was caught smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth INR 12.86 crore. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials had received a lead about the actress’s arrival from Dubai and took immediate action and stopped Rania at the airport.
On physical examination of the actress, they found 14 gold bars tied to her thighs using tape and bandages, a method she allegedly used to evade customs checks.
Earlier reports had said that Rania Rao had hidden the gold in her jacket, however, the DRI confirmed that the prohibited material (gold bars) was found directly on the actress’s body.
The case has taken an interesting turn after it emerged that the 33-year-old actress is also the stepdaughter of a senior DGP-rank IPS officer in Karnataka, raising questions about possible high-level links in the smuggling network.
Indian media said that authorities are now investigating whether Rania Rao was working for a larger network or was personally involved in the work.
It should be noted that the relevant authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the network behind the smuggled gold and its intended recipients.
It may be recalled that Rania Rao visited Dubai 27 times in 1 year, due to which the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) started close surveillance on her based on suspicion.