Karnataka DGP's Ranya Rao gold smuggling case triggers political storm

BENGALURU: The arrest of Sandalwood actor Ranya Rao, daughter of director general of police (Karnataka Police Housing Corporation) Ramachandra Rao, in a gold smuggling case took a political turn, with several Congress MLAs calling for a thorough investigation.Ranya was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport Monday night for allegedly attempting to smuggle 14.8kg of gold. She was remanded in judicial custody.Referring to the arrest during the ongoing session, Congress member HD Ranganath said: "We have been hearing a lot about gold smuggling. Surprisingly, affluent families are involved in such activities. It is unfortunate that those who come from well-to-do backgrounds engage in such illegal activities."Ranganath, a relative of deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, suggested the incident could be tied to financial crimes such as black money transactions and tax evasion. He praised authorities for their swift action, saying, "Our police officers should be commended for their vigilance. They handled the case well, sending a strong message to those involved in such acts."Rizwan Arshad of Congress also emphasised the need for a fair and thorough investigation. "This cannot be taken lightly. A thorough investigation is necessary to understand how this happened, irrespective of whose daughter she is, the law must be applied equally to everyone," he said.Echoing similar views, AS Ponnanna, legal adviser to CM Siddaramaiah and an MLA, asserted that Ranya was being treated like any other accused. "She is an accused. The law will take its course, whether she is the DGP's, CM's or Prime Minister's daughter. Investigation will reveal any official nexus," he said.Home minister G Parameshwara said he has sought a report from police regarding the case. "The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is investigating the case. Until investigators supply definite information, I cannot react to the incident. We discussed the matter with the police chief and will definitely get concrete information soon," he said.