Ranya Rao never visited, clear separation between us: Karnataka DGP on daughter's gold smuggling case

BENGALURU: Reacting to his daughter’s arrest in a gold smuggling case, DGP Ramachandra Rao on Thursday said he was completely unaware that she was transporting such a large quantity of gold from Dubai.
Expressing his anguish, he stated, “No words can truly express the depth of my shock, pain and devastation caused by the recent developments. This is an extremely difficult time for me and my family, and we’re struggling to process it.”
He clarified that Ranya had been living independently with her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, since their marriage in 2024, distancing herself from the family.
“Ranya and Jatin Hukkeri got married in 2024, and since then they have maintained complete independence and privacy. She stopped visiting the family home, and we were also not given chances to visit them in their new house, resulting in a clear and definitive separation between us and them. If there is any violation of law on Ranya’s part, the law will take its course.”
Ranya’s arrest led to a search of her Lavelle Road apartment in Bengaluru, where officials seized Rs 2.1 crore worth of designer gold ornaments and Rs 2.7 crore in cash, bringing the total recovery in the case to Rs 17.3 crore.
Sources indicated that the jewellery was allegedly acquired under the instructions of a well-known politician, though officials have not disclosed any names. Reports suggest the ornaments were purchased from a high-end designer store in the city.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had been monitoring Ranya after receiving a tip-off about her suspected involvement in gold smuggling. Officers were stationed at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) two hours before her Emirates flight landed at around 7 pm on Monday. Upon arrival, she was caught with gold bars strapped to her body and was taken into custody.
She was presented before a special financial offences court on March 4, where she was remanded to judicial custody until March 18. Her legal team argued for bail, stating that she was produced before a judge late at night without the DRI seeking custody. However, the agency strongly opposed her release, emphasizing the need to determine the origin of the gold, the mode of payment, and any potential links to a wider smuggling network.
“This case raises critical questions. Who is supporting Ranya? Is she connected to a larger syndicate? Given the potential risks to national security, a thorough investigation is essential,” the public prosecutor stated.
Before being moved to judicial custody, Ranya underwent a medical examination at Bowring Hospital. During questioning, she claimed her frequent trips to Dubai were for business purposes, but officials suspect she was part of an organized gold smuggling operation.