Karnataka govt withdraws CID probe over 'police role' in Ranya Rao's smuggling case
Bengaluru/IBNS: The Karnataka government has withdrawn the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the 'police role' in connection with Kannada actress Ranya Rao's gold smuggling case after the Central Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation, media reports said.
The state police's CID was initially tasked with investigating protocol violations by police at the Bengaluru International Airport.
The Home Ministry has now revoked the probe order.
The government move comes two days after the CBI took over the 14-kg gold smuggling case that has been making headlines for more than a week.
Ranya Rao, who was arrested while smuggling gold bars worth Rs 14.56 crore last week, Monday alleged in the court that she is "traumatised and emotionally broken" after being "verbally tortured and threatened" in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)'s custody.
Rao made the submissions before a special court, in Bengaluru.
The court has in turn sought to know if she was physically tortured in custody.
To this, the actor said she was not subjected to physical torture. "I was verbally tortured and threatened. I am traumatised and emotionally broken," she said, breaking down in court.
The DRI dismissed the charge and said the entire procedure (involving arrest and interrogation) had been recorded on CCTV.
The developments came against the backdrop of speculation that Rao might have been assaulted during or after her arrest after a widely-circulated image showed her with swollen eyes and bruises on her face.
Karnataka State Commission for Women Chairperson Nagalakshmi Chaudhary earlier said that a probe into the actor's possible assault cannot be conducted until a formal complaint is filed.
The actor has been sent to judicial custody till March 24 but a hearing on her bail application is scheduled for Tuesday.
What is the case?
Ranya, who is the step-daughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 at the Bengaluru International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs. 12.86 crore.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) apprehended Ranya Rao after she arrived from Dubai on an Emirates flight and was immediately taken into custody.
A court handling economic offenses later remanded her to judicial custody for 14 days.
Ranya, in a confession, said she was caught at the airport with 17 gold bars.
Reports claim Ranya travelled to Dubai 27 times in the last year bringing her under the scanner of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
A court handling economic offenses later remanded her to judicial custody for 14 days.
According to DRI sources, Rao had been under watch due to her frequent overseas trips, the report said.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
Related Articles
Chhattisgarh train collision kills 8; rescue ops continue in Bilaspur
At least eight people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday when a Korba passenger train rammed into a stationary freight train near the Lal Khadan area on the Bilaspur–Katni section of the South East Central Railway zone.
Rahul Gandhi stirs controversy in Bihar, claims 'army is under control of 10% of the population'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday stirred a political storm after claiming that the Indian Army is “under the control of 10 percent of the country’s population”, a reference widely interpreted as targeting so-called upper castes.
‘Talking in Bangla doesn’t mean Bangladeshi’: Mamata Banerjee slams BJP as she leads massive protest in Kolkata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday took to the streets of Kolkata, leading a massive protest march against what she called the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s “silent and invisible rigging” through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
At least six killed as passenger train hits goods train in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur
Raipur/IBNS: At least six people lost their lives and several others were injured when a passenger train collided with a goods train in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district on Tuesday.
Latest News
New York elects Zohran Mamdani as next Mayor: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s reaction breaks the internet
Mira Nair reacts to son Zohran Mamdani’s NYC victory with an Instagram reshare
Who is Rama Duwaji? Zohran Mamdani's pro-Palestine artist wife set to be first Gen Z New York City First Lady
Meet Ghazala Hashmi, first India-American Muslim to be elected as Virginia Lieutenant Governor
