Gold Smuggling Case: Second Accused Remanded to 14 Days’ JC

BENGALURU:
The Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru remanded Tarun Raju, the second accused in the gold smuggling case allegedly involving actress Ranya Rao, to judicial custody for 14 days on Friday.

Judge Vishwanath C. Goudar passed the order following the ending of Tarun Raju’s custody with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The DRI submitted to the court that the second accused could now be remanded to judicial custody.

On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residence of Tarun Raju, a close friend of Ranya Rao and the grandson of a star hotel owner, located on Kumara Park East Road in Bengaluru.

The court is also expected to rule on the bail plea of the first accused, actress Ranya Rao, who is the stepdaughter of DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, on Friday. The matter has been reserved for judgment.

Sources indicate that even if Ranya Rao is granted bail, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — which are probing the gold smuggling case along with the DRI — are likely to seek her custody for further investigation.

The ED has lodged an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) in the case and is tracking movement of gold and hawala transactions. On the other hand, the CBI is probing the syndicate, international links and involvement of officers.

The DRI is probing the aspect of involvement of Ranya Rao and others in the case.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, deputed by the state government to probe police collusion and lapses, visited the Bengaluru International Airport on Friday and conducted an investigation.

Sources stated that Gupta gathered information on the officers Ranya Rao met at the airport before her arrest and also gathered information regarding her previous visits. The local DCP was also present during the visit.

The ED on Thursday launched an investigation into the sensational gold smuggling case. Sources confirmed that the ED conducted searches and raids at eight locations in Bengaluru and other places.

The sleuths conducted raids till late in the evening at the residence of Ranya Rao at the upscale Lavelle Road in Bengaluru. The sleuths did not even take a lunch break and the food was taken to them.

Ranya Rao was arrested last Monday by DRI officials for smuggling gold upon her arrival at Bengaluru International Airport.

The state government had ordered two separate investigations into the case to determine the role of Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, in granting her protocol privileges and police escorts. However, later, the government withdrew the CID probe within 24 hours, stirring a controversy.