Bengaluru, March 19 (IANS) The gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, was discussed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The opposition BJP and the ruling Congress took confrontational positions over the alleged collusion between the jailed actress and authorities in the smuggling operation.
BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar raised the issue in the Assembly, stating that the arrested actress had travelled 25 times, and when she was caught, 14 kilograms of gold was seized.
"There has been a failure on the part of the customs department. One thing is clear— gold smuggling has been carried out in Bengaluru. The involvement of a senior officer is also evident, and this must be thoroughly investigated," he said.
“If the jailed actress managed to exit the airport 25 times without being stopped, how was police constable Basavaraj consistently assigned to protocol duty for her? Who directed him to do so? Normally, different officers are assigned protocol duty, but in this case, Basavaraj was deputed all 25 times. Was he helping her, or was he a victim?” Sunil Kumar questioned.
He further asked how an actress with no connection to the government or the police department was granted protocol services so frequently.
“Why was information about gold smuggling only revealed by Basavaraj to the police department? The government must disclose the list of actresses who have received protocol services at Bengaluru International Airport. Where did the smuggled gold ultimately go? If Basavaraj is questioned, won’t he reveal the truth? The public is speculating about the involvement of ministers,” he asserted.
“Can’t we question where the gold ended up and to whom it was delivered? Did it reach the AICC?” Sunil Kumar asked. "My concern is that Bengaluru should not become the gold smuggling hub of the country," he underlined.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka mocked the Congress, stating that some of its members sitting in the last row were creating an uproar in an attempt to move up to the front row, as certain seats were expected to be vacated.
"It is rumoured that Congress leaders themselves are exposing their own party members in this case," he said.
Ashoka further alleged, “Constable Basavaraj bypassed security checks by going straight to the customs area inside Bengaluru International Airport and escorting the actress out.”
Congress legislators objected to these statements and countered by questioning who controls the airport. "Why couldn’t the central authorities prevent this?" they argued.
Minister for RDPR, IT, and BT Priyank Kharge remarked, "We have been waiting for three to four days for BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal to reveal the names of the Congress ministers allegedly involved. Either he should name them here or submit the names to the investigating agencies." MLA Yatnal had previously stated that he would expose two ministers linked to the smuggling case.
Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao added, "Immigration authorities are responsible for conducting security checks first. The matter of protocol arises only outside the airport. What were the Customs officials doing?"
Actress Ranya Rao was arrested on charges of gold smuggling and allegedly misusing her stepfather DGP Ramachandra Rao’s name to bypass security checks using protocol services reserved for high-ranking officials.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials arrested Ranya Rao after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at Bengaluru International Airport.
The agency also confiscated Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her upscale Lavelle Road flat, where she reportedly paid Rs 4.5 lakh in rent.
On March 15, the Karnataka government placed DGP K. Ramachandra Rao on compulsory leave with immediate effect and until further notice in connection with the gold smuggling case.
