In the gold smuggling case linked to actress Ranya Rao, a special court for economic offenses on Wednesday sent the third accused, Sahil Jain, to 14 days of judicial custody. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) presented Sahil Jain in court after his police custody ended.
Ranya Rao Arrested on March 3
- Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior police officer Ramchandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth over ₹12.56 crore.
- On March 27, a Bengaluru sessions court rejected her bail plea for the third time.
- Earlier, her bail applications were also rejected by both the special court for economic offenses and the magistrate court.
Tarun Raju: The Second Accused
- The prosecution argued that Ranya Rao admitted to using hawala money to purchase gold.
- Officials have issued a notice to start a judicial inquiry, which could reveal more financial irregularities.
- Tarun Raju, a close associate of Ranya Rao, is the second accused in the case.
- The court has not yet decided on Tarun Raju’s bail plea.
Sahil Jain’s Arrest: The Third Accused
- Sahil Jain, a gold trader, was arrested for helping dispose of the smuggled gold connected to Ranya Rao.
- He was initially sent to 4 days of police custody for further questioning.
- During the hearing, DRI’s lawyer Madhu Rao told the court that Tarun Raju and Ranya Rao had traveled together to Dubai around 26 times.
- Tarun Raju even traveled from Dubai to Hyderabad using Ranya Rao’s booked ticket.
Ongoing Investigation
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is investigating the gold smuggling case to uncover more financial irregularities. Ranya Rao, Tarun Raju, and Sahil Jain are currently in custody as the investigation continues. The DRI is expected to file additional charges based on the findings.