Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Court adjourns Tarun Raju's bail hearing to April 3

Bengaluru: A sessions court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing into the bail petition filed by suspect Tarun Konduru Raju in the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case. The hearing was adjourned to Thursday by CCH-64 LXIII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge.

“Case called out—advocates for both parties present. Advocate for respondent [DRI] prays time. To hear by April 3,” the judge noted.

Raju, 36, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 9, six days after they allegedly caught red-handed Kannada actor Ranya Rao at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru with concealed gold weighing 14.2 kg and worth Rs 12.56 crore.

A special court for economic offences previously denied Raju’s bail after relying upon misusing his US citizenship, falsely declaring gold to Geneva and Bangkok, being one of Ranya’s “international gold smuggling links” and probable flight risk as the grounds for rejection.

If the sessions court denies Raju bail, he would have to move the High Court next seeking relief.

Third suspect sent to JC

DRI at 1.54 pm on Wednesday produced Sahil Sakariya Jain, the third suspect in the case, before the special court for economic offences judge after his custody with them ended. He was remanded in judicial custody till April 7.

Jain, the DRI had claimed, had assisted Ranya multiple times in disposing of the smuggled gold and shared the proceeds from the sale. Jain also didn’t complain to the judge about any ill-treatment by the DRI officers during the interrogation.

The court perused the remand application filed by DRI and after taking into consideration the fact that Jain would hamper the probe and tamper the investigation ordered him to be sent to judicial custody. He was moved to the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru.