Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, aka Ranya Rao, who was arrested in March 2025 for smuggling gold from Dubai, has now been released from preventive detention, a year after detention.
Ranya Rao released from jail
After completing a year of detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), Rao was granted bail by Special Economic Offences Judge Vishwanath Gowdar, according to Bar and Bench.
According to an IANS’ report, Ranya had earlier secured bail from the special court; however, her release was delayed after the authorities invoked the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act against her. This allowed her to remain behind bars despite the bail. The case remains under investigation, and further legal proceedings are likely in the coming days, according to an IANS report.
About the gold smuggling case
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had arrested Ranya for smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai in March 2025. The actress was caught smuggling the gold in belts and jackets while using a route reserved for VVIPs. The investigations discovered that Ranya, along with the help of Jain, Ranya Rao disposed off 49.6 kg of gold and transferred Rs 38.4 crore of hawala money to Dubai.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence noted that investigations have revealed that Jain, who hails from Ballari and is settled in Bengaluru, assisted and abetted Ranya in disposing of 49.6 kilograms of gold worth around Rs 40 crore and later transferring hawala money of Rs 38.4 crore to Dubai. American national Tarun Kondur Raju, alias Virat Konduru, and goldsmith Sahil Sarkaria were also arrested in connection with the smuggling case.
The three were reportedly part of a larger syndicate that had smuggled over 100 kg of gold into India between 2024 and 2025. Rao and Konduru Raju were granted default bail in May 2025 since the DRI had failed to file a chargesheet within the statutory timeline of 60 days. However, since the duo was booked under COFEPOSA, a preventive detention law, they were detained to deter smuggling.
Later, in December 2025, the Karnataka High Court had dismissed a plea filed by Rao`s mother, HP Rohini, challenging the COFEPOSA detention.
