Gold Smuggling Case: Ranya Rao's mother challenges detention in Karnataka High Court

Ranya Rao was arrested in a high-profile gold smuggling case in March. Now, her mother has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking relief from a preventive detention order issued under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (Cofeposa). HP Rohini filed a habeas corpus petition on Thursday, urging the court to declare that any detention of her daughter under Cofeposa would be legally untenable.Ranya Rao was taken into custody on March 3, 2025, by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after officials seized 14.2 kilograms of gold bars worth approximately Rs 12.56 crore from her possession at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. Authorities allege that Rao attempted to evade customs duties totaling Rs 4.83 crore by taping the gold to her body using bandages. The Ministry of Finance, acting on a request from the DRI, issued a detention order through its Central Economic Intelligence Bureau on April 22. This Cofeposa order, if enforced, allows authorities to detain Rao and her co-accused for up to one year without regular judicial proceedings, even if bail is granted in other cases.As per a Hindustan Times report, the matter was heard by a vacation bench of Justices H P Sandesh and Ramachandra Huddar, with the Centre expected to file its response when the case resumes on June 3. Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court had earlier issued a notice to the DRI regarding Rao's bail application, which was ultimately rejected. Rao, who is also the stepdaughter of Karnataka’s Director General of Police K Ramachandra Rao, remains in judicial custody along with her alleged accomplice, Telugu actor Tarun Konduru Raju, whose bail plea was also denied. The DRI stated that both actors were in the UAE simultaneously, but while Raju returned to Hyderabad, Rao landed in Bengaluru, where the smuggling was detected.Following Rao's arrest, two other individuals-Tarun Raju and jeweler Sahil Jain-were taken into custody in connection with the case. All three accused remain in judicial custody, with their remand extended multiple times. A Bengaluru Sessions Court recently upheld the denial of bail to Tarun Raju, rejecting his plea filed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.