A special court in Bengaluru on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Telugu actor Tarun Konduru Raju, who was arrested on March 10 in connection with the gold smuggling case involving his friend and co-accused, Kannada actor Ranya Rao.
Judge Vishwanath C Gowdar dismissed Raju’s bail application, citing his alleged role in assisting Rao in smuggling large quantities of gold from Dubai to India, violating the Customs Act. On March 14, the same court had earlier denied bail to Ranya Rao, the prime accused in the case.
Court Highlights Raju’s Role in Gold Smuggling
The court noted that Tarun Raju, a US citizen and OCI cardholder, misused his travel privileges by making multiple international trips under the pretense of exporting gold to Bangkok and Geneva, when in reality, the gold was smuggled into India.
“Accused No. 2 (Raju) had the intention to commit gold smuggling. He assisted Accused No. 1 (Ranya Rao) in the illegal activity, violating Section 138A of the Customs Act,” the court order stated.
Ranya Rao’s Arrest and Gold Seizure
Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) caught her in possession of 14.2 kg of gold bars worth ₹12.5 crore upon her arrival from Dubai. Following Rao’s arrest, Raju was taken into custody a week later.
Prosecution’s Argument Against Bail
The DRI opposed Raju’s bail, arguing that he posed a flight risk and had attempted to flee when Rao was arrested. Authorities had issued a lookout circular to prevent him from leaving the country.
According to the DRI, both Rao and Raju made 26 trips to Dubai this year, with Rao alone making 56 trips since 2023, which officials believe were linked to smuggling operations.
The court emphasized that Raju’s frequent 25-26 short trips to Dubai indicated a pattern of smuggling, leading to the rejection of his bail plea.
Sources By Agencies
