Sandalwood actress Ranya Rao and three others have been slapped with a hefty fine of Rs 271 crore for allegedly smuggling 324 kg of gold into India from Dubai. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) issued notices to the accused, with Rao being the prime figure in the case.
According to the DRI notice, Ranya Rao—daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao—faces a fine of Rs 102 crore for her involvement in smuggling 127 kg of gold. The second accused, Tarun K Raju, is fined Rs 63 crore for smuggling 71 kg of gold. Sahil Sakariya Jain and Bharat Jain are each fined Rs 53 crore for bringing in 126 kg of gold (63 kg each).
While the DRI did not specify a time limit for payment, it made clear that gold bars are considered "prohibited" and attract a 100% penalty. The accused are being held in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison, with Ranya Rao having challenged her detention in the High Court.
The DRI has the authority to seize and attach the accused's properties to recover the fine amount, though this process could take months due to the extensive documentation involved. All four accused have the legal option to challenge the charges, and the case could potentially reach the Supreme Court.
Source: Times of India
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
