Synopsis
The Special Court in Bengaluru has ordered Tarun Raju, the second suspect in the gold smuggling case involving actress Ranya Rao, to be held in judicial custody for 14 days. The court is also set to make a decision regarding Ranya Rao's bail application.Key Takeaways
- Tarun Raju remanded to 14 days' judicial custody.
- ED and CBI involved in the gold smuggling investigation.
- Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of DGP, faces potential custody requests.
- Investigations ongoing concerning police involvement.
- ED conducted extensive raids in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru, March 14 (NationPress) The Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru has placed Tarun Raju, the second suspect in the gold smuggling case linked to actress Ranya Rao, in judicial custody for 14 days as of Friday.
Judge Vishwanath C. Goudar issued the ruling after Tarun Raju’s time in custody with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) concluded. The DRI informed the court that the second suspect was now eligible for remand to judicial custody.
On Thursday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) executed searches at the residence of Tarun Raju, a close acquaintance of Ranya Rao and the grandson of a prominent hotel owner, situated on Kumara Park East Road in Bengaluru.
The court is also anticipated to decide on the bail application of the initial accused, actress Ranya Rao, who is the stepdaughter of DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, on Friday. The decision is pending.
Sources suggest that even if Ranya Rao is granted bail, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—both involved in the ongoing investigation of the gold smuggling case alongside the DRI—may request her custody for further inquiries.
The ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) concerning the case and is monitoring gold movements and hawala transactions. Meanwhile, the CBI is investigating the syndicate, its international connections, and the involvement of officials.
The DRI is looking into the participation of Ranya Rao and others in the case.
In a related development, Karnataka Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, assigned by the state government to investigate police collusion and lapses, visited the Bengaluru International Airport on Friday to conduct inquiries. Sources revealed that Gupta collected information on the officers Ranya Rao interacted with at the airport prior to her arrest and also gathered details regarding her previous visits. The local DCP was present during this investigation.
The ED initiated its investigation into the high-profile gold smuggling case on Thursday. Sources confirmed that the ED conducted searches and raids at eight locations in Bengaluru and beyond. Investigators operated until late evening at Ranya Rao's residence on the upscale Lavelle Road in Bengaluru, foregoing a lunch break as food was delivered to them.
Ranya Rao was taken into custody last Monday by DRI agents for gold smuggling upon her arrival at Bengaluru International Airport. The state government ordered two separate investigations to ascertain the role of Ranya Rao’s stepfather, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, in providing her with protocol privileges and police escorts. However, the government retracted the CID investigation within 24 hours, igniting controversy.
