
Karnataka’s Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case: Stepfather IPS Officer Ramachandra Rao Reinstated Amidst Ongoing Investigation
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, aged 34, remains at the center of a high-profile gold smuggling case that has captured public attention across India. Arrested in early March 2025 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, she was found carrying approximately 14.2 kilograms of undeclared gold worth ₹12.56 crore, allegedly smuggled from Dubai.
The incident unleashed a major investigation not only into Ranya Rao’s activities but also scrutinized the involvement of her stepfather, senior IPS officer K. Ramachandra Rao. At the time of her arrest, reports indicated she had been frequently exploiting police escorts and official privileges reserved for family members of top police officials to bypass Customs procedures. A protocol officer at the Kempegowda Airport Police Station confirmed facilitating her airport movements under directives from DGP Ramachandra Rao, raising questions about potential misuse of official protocol.
Consequently, Ramachandra Rao, then serving as Managing Director of Karnataka Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation, was placed on compulsory leave pending inquiry in March 2025. The State government set up an inquiry committee to investigate his potential role in the gold smuggling case amid growing public and political pressure.
Recently, in a significant development dated August 12, 2025, the Karnataka government revoked the compulsory leave of K. Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him as Director General of Police (DGP) for the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE). The government notification declared that his appointment to this upgraded post was effective immediately, restoring his status to that equivalent to DGP of the Criminal Investigation Department and special units. Rao, who is due to retire in May 2026, has publicly denied any wrongdoing, describing himself as a
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