ED alleges 127 kg of gold was smuggled via hawala.
Ranya Rao and associates named in PMLA complaint.
DRI seizure at Bengaluru airport triggered a probe.
Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case: ED Alleges 127 Kg Smuggled Via Hawala Network
The Ranya Rao gold smuggling case has intensified after the ED alleged that over 127 kg of gold was brought into India within a year and routed through hawala channels to disguise the proceeds.
Summary
The Ranya Rao gold smuggling case has taken a serious turn with the Enforcement Directorate filing a prosecution complaint before a Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Bengaluru. The agency has alleged that 127.287 kg of gold, valued at Rs 102.55 crore, was smuggled into India between March 2024 and March 2025.
The complaint names Kannada actress Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardini Ranya, along with her associate Tarun Konduru Raju, alias Virat Konduru, and Ballari-based jeweller Sahil Sakariya Jain. The ED has invoked offences under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
ED details alleged hawala network
According to the agency, the smuggled gold was sold in the domestic market through a network of handlers and jewellers. The proceeds were allegedly generated in cash and settled using hawala channels in India and abroad. Investigators have claimed that the funds were layered through multiple bank accounts and entities to present them as legitimate business transactions.
The ED further stated that the operation reflected a structured system involving procurement of gold overseas, illegal import into India, and laundering of profits through informal and formal financial routes. Such actions, the agency said, undermine financial systems and regulatory mechanisms.
Searches were conducted on May 21 and 22, 2025, at 16 locations across Karnataka. Officials reported seizing documents, digital devices, and both Indian and foreign currency. Statements were recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA.
Earlier DRI seizure and arrests
The ED probe stems from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation on March 7, 2025, based on a complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. On March 3, 2025, DRI officials intercepted Ranya Rao at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, allegedly recovering 14.213 kg of concealed foreign-origin gold worth Rs 12.56 crore.
Subsequent searches reportedly led to the seizure of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash. The accused are currently lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison after being booked under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974.
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The provisional attachment of immovable properties worth Rs 34.12 crore in Ranya Rao’s name was ordered on July 4, 2025.
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