<p>Bengaluru: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has begun uncovering links in the suspected smuggling syndicate on whose behalf Kannada actor Ranya Rao allegedly funnelled gold into the country, sources said.</p><p>With the DRI diving deeper into its probe, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered an FIR against smugglers bringing gold into the country via airports.</p><p>News agency PTI quoted officials as saying that CBI teams had reached Bengaluru and Mumbai airports to gather information and are co-ordinating with the DRI in its probe.</p><p>Ranya, 33, was arrested on March 3 after she flew into Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai. According to the DRI, she was found carrying 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore. </p>.Actor Ranya Rao admits to role in gold smuggling; DRI gets 3-day custody.<p>Ranya, who lives in upscale Lavelle Road with her husband, is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police (DGP), Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation. </p><p>A well-placed source revealed to DH that the DRI investigators have begun identifying the individuals behind the syndicate that facilitated the smuggling attempt.</p><p>“More forensic evidence is likely to be received once the DRI accesses the phone, laptop and other digital devices of the suspect,” the source further said.</p><p>On March 7, a special court for economic offences remanded Ranya in the DRI custody for three days. However, despite her pleading innocence, the DRI believes she has a key role to play.</p><p>“It is believed that the suspect was used since she could exploit her DGP stepfather’s credentials and VIP perks and also that she was in contact with some ‘influential people’ in the city, as per the preliminary rounds of investigation,” the source suggested.</p><p>The DRI suspects more people with privileges like Ranya were used by the smuggling ring as mules to smuggle gold.</p><p>However, senior officers privy to the probe remained tight-lipped, with one telling DH that details of the probe “can’t be disclosed at this time”.</p><p>So far, in an initial voluntary statement to the DRI, Ranya accepted that 17 gold bars were recovered from her possession and also revealed her frequent travels to Europe, the USA, West Asia, including Dubai and Saudi Arabia.</p><p>She also told DRI investigators that she is a “freelancer in real estate in Dubai”.</p><p>As per the DRI, Ranya travelled to Dubai 27 times in six months, which brought her under the investigators’ radar.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has begun uncovering links in the suspected smuggling syndicate on whose behalf Kannada actor Ranya Rao allegedly funnelled gold into the country, sources said.</p><p>With the DRI diving deeper into its probe, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also registered an FIR against smugglers bringing gold into the country via airports.</p><p>News agency PTI quoted officials as saying that CBI teams had reached Bengaluru and Mumbai airports to gather information and are co-ordinating with the DRI in its probe.</p><p>Ranya, 33, was arrested on March 3 after she flew into Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai. According to the DRI, she was found carrying 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore. </p>.Actor Ranya Rao admits to role in gold smuggling; DRI gets 3-day custody.<p>Ranya, who lives in upscale Lavelle Road with her husband, is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police (DGP), Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation. </p><p>A well-placed source revealed to DH that the DRI investigators have begun identifying the individuals behind the syndicate that facilitated the smuggling attempt.</p><p>“More forensic evidence is likely to be received once the DRI accesses the phone, laptop and other digital devices of the suspect,” the source further said.</p><p>On March 7, a special court for economic offences remanded Ranya in the DRI custody for three days. However, despite her pleading innocence, the DRI believes she has a key role to play.</p><p>“It is believed that the suspect was used since she could exploit her DGP stepfather’s credentials and VIP perks and also that she was in contact with some ‘influential people’ in the city, as per the preliminary rounds of investigation,” the source suggested.</p><p>The DRI suspects more people with privileges like Ranya were used by the smuggling ring as mules to smuggle gold.</p><p>However, senior officers privy to the probe remained tight-lipped, with one telling DH that details of the probe “can’t be disclosed at this time”.</p><p>So far, in an initial voluntary statement to the DRI, Ranya accepted that 17 gold bars were recovered from her possession and also revealed her frequent travels to Europe, the USA, West Asia, including Dubai and Saudi Arabia.</p><p>She also told DRI investigators that she is a “freelancer in real estate in Dubai”.</p><p>As per the DRI, Ranya travelled to Dubai 27 times in six months, which brought her under the investigators’ radar.</p>