Karnataka senior police officer Ramachandra Rao’s stepdaughter, actor Ranya Rao, was arrested at Bengaluru airport with 14.8kg of gold, drawing attention to him.
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials intercepted her at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and seized 14.2kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore.
A subsequent raid at her Lavelle Road apartment led to the recovery of more gold. However, Ramachandra Rao has distanced himself from her after the incident came to light.
Rao, who serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, was promoted to the rank of Director General of Police in September 2023.
During his tenure as Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Southern Range, Rao’s name surfaced in a controversy over a money seizure, The Week reported.
In early 2014, Mysore South Police intercepted a private bus near Yelwal in Mysuru, en route to Calicut, and confiscated cash being transported by four merchants from Kerala.
While police claimed that ₹20 lakh was seized, the merchants alleged the actual amount was ₹2.27 crore and accused the police of collaborating with a businessman to misappropriate the funds, the report added.
Before his transfer to the Housing Corporation, the 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer served as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Task Force.
Ranya Rao, who tied the knot with Jatin Hukkeri in a high-profile ceremony at Taj West End a few months ago, came under scrutiny after making four trips to Dubai in just 15 days.
Revenue intelligence officials observed a pattern in her travels, suspecting a connection to gold smuggling activities.
Investigators suspect Rao leveraged her relationship with her father to evade scrutiny at customs, reported HT.
Ramachandra Rao clarified his stance on his stepdaughter’s actions, saying, “I have no connection to my daughter’s activities. She got married four months ago and hasn’t been in touch with us since. The law will take its own course.”