Tarun Raju, associate of Ranaya Rao, arrested in gold smuggling case. Raju, a Bengaluru hotelier, is accused of assisting Rao in purchasing smuggled gold.
Gold Smuggling Case: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has made a significant revelation in the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranaya Rao. A new twist emerged when her close friend and hotelier, Tarun Raju, was arrested by the police. Authorities believe Tarun Raju was also part of the smuggling racket and assisted Rao in the buying and selling of smuggled gold.
Tarun Raju arrested in Bengaluru
Tarun Raju hails from a prominent business family in Bengaluru and owns a chain of hotels in the city. He was arrested from his residence in Koramangala's National Games Village on Sunday night. He was subsequently produced before a judge, who remanded him to four days of DRI custody. Investigations revealed that Tarun Raju was with Ranaya in Dubai, and police suspect his active involvement in the gold smuggling operation.
Ranaya caught at airport with 14 kg of gold
A few days ago, actress Ranaya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport with 14 kilograms of gold bars worth ₹14.56 crore. Investigations revealed she was part of a large smuggling network and received a substantial commission for each consignment smuggled. Sources suggest Ranaya charged ₹4-5 lakh for smuggling one kilogram of gold.
Smuggling modus operandi
The DRI investigation revealed that Ranaya cleverly concealed the gold to execute the smuggling. She wore some gold on her person, while the rest was hidden in her clothing. Officials revealed that Ranaya had travelled to Dubai 27 times in the past year, indicating her long-term involvement in the operation.
Ranaya Rao breaks down in court
When presented before the court after being taken into police custody, Ranaya broke down and cried. She claimed she was being framed. In court, she alleged verbal harassment and intimidation during her detention. However, DRI officials categorically denied these allegations, stating that the investigation was being conducted with complete transparency.
