Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, also recognized as Ranya Rao, was apprehended for allegedly smuggling gold from Dubai. The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) announced on Sunday that she was granted land for the establishment of a steel plant by the previous Karnataka government in February 2023.
At Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Ranya Rao was discovered with gold bars valued at ₹12.56 crore. Additionally, searches conducted at her residence resulted in the seizure of gold jewelry worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency totaling ₹2.67 crore, as reported by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on Wednesday.
Ranya is the stepdaughter of Ramachandra Rao, a senior IPS officer with the rank of DGP.
The KIADB’s announcement follows reports indicating that a company associated with Ranya Rao was allocated 12 acres of industrial land by the board in 2023.
The office of the minister for medium and large industries, MB Patil, released the government’s final notification dated February 22, 2023, concerning the land allocation to Ranya Rao’s firm, Ksiroda India, located in the Sira Industrial Area of Tumakuru district, as reported by news agency PTI.
According to the proceedings shared by the minister’s office, “Approval has been granted for the proposal from M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for the manufacture of ‘steel products – TMT bars, rods, and allied products’ in the Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district.”
“The government is pleased to provide in-principle approval for the investment proposal of ₹138 crore, which is expected to create approximately 160 jobs, along with various infrastructure assistance, incentives, and concessions,” the statement added.
In a press release from MB Patil’s office, the KIADB confirmed that the allotment to the company associated with Ranya Rao occurred in January 2023.
