NEW DELHI: Investigators following the money trail in the gold smuggling case linked to actor Ranya Rao are now exploring possible connections to suspects in the multi-crore bitcoin scam under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department’s Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The bitcoin scam came into focus after the government clarified that it had not allotted 12 acres of industrial land in Tumakuru district to Ranya’s company, Ksiroda India Private Limited, where her brother K Rushab is a director.
Officials are now scrutinising the financial transactions related to the 14.2kg of gold Ranya was carrying upon her arrival from Dubai. "We need to determine how payments were made for the gold purchase and are considering all possibilities, including cryptocurrency," a source said.
Rushab had previously been under the SIT’s radar for alleged links to bitcoin scam mastermind Srikrishna alias Sriki. He has been questioned twice, most recently in January. In his statement, Rushab claimed he met Sriki through a mutual friend, M Haqeeb, while interning at a car showroom. He recounted that Sriki once visited the showroom, selected a luxury sports car, and purchased it, adding that he had no further knowledge of the transaction.
SIT officials confirmed that Rushab may be summoned again for questioning. However, they have not yet received any request for information from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the gold smuggling case.
When contacted, Rushab declined to comment, stating, “Our family has decided not to speak on this matter. We wish to maintain our privacy.”
Who is Ranya Rao?
A native of Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya Rao pursued an engineering degree at Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, before entering the film industry. She made her debut in the 2014 Kannada film
Maanikya, playing a wealthy woman and love interest of the protagonist. She later acted in the Tamil film
Wagah (2016) alongside Vikram Prabhu and returned to Kannada cinema in
Pataki (2017), portraying a journalist.
Dubai Visits Raise Suspicion
Ranya’s frequent travel to Dubai—four visits in just 15 days—caught authorities’ attention, leading a DRI team to intercept her at the airport on Monday. Though she appeared calm, a search revealed gold bars hidden in a belt she was wearing, resulting in her immediate arrest.
Father Distances Himself
Ranya is the daughter of Karnataka DGP (Police Housing Corporation) K Ramachandra Rao. Reports suggest that upon landing, she allegedly introduced herself as the daughter of the state’s Director General of Police and contacted local officers, attempting to secure an official escort home.
Investigators are now looking into whether any law enforcement personnel knowingly or unknowingly aided her. Meanwhile, her father has publicly distanced himself from the controversy, revealing that Ranya married Jatin Hukkeri, an architect specializing in pub and microbrewery designs, four months ago and had since lost touch with her family.
Expressing disappointment, he remarked, “She has let us down. If she has done anything wrong, the law will take its course.”