Gold smuggling case: Ranya Rao's bail order reserved for March 27

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru court on Tuesday reserved the order on Kannada actress Ranya Rao's bail plea in the gold smuggling case to March 27.

The 63rd Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge reserved the order after arguments by Ranya’s counsel and objections submitted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the investigating agency. 

Ranya, 33, was arrested on March 3 after she flew into Bengaluru from Dubai. According to the DRI, she was found carrying 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore on her person. She currently remains in judicial custody at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru.

Ranya moved to the sessions court after her bail was rejected by the Special Court of Economic Offences on March 14. 

The ramifications for the Indian economy, hawala transactions to Dubai, international links, 27 times travel to Dubai this year, possession of a UAE resident ID card and entry to the customs’ Green Channel to skip duty were among the grounds the special court relied upon when rejecting the actor's bail.