New Delhi: Actress Ranya Rao and Tarun Raju were granted default bail by the Bengaluru court on Tuesday, but were associated with strict conditions. The case came to light on 3 March, when Ranya, also known as Harshavardha Ranya, was allegedly arrested with smuggling from Dubai with 14.8 kg of gold at Kemp Gauda International Airport in Bengaluru.The bail was given on the condition of two certainty and bond of Rs 2 lakh.The court also stopped both of them from leaving the country and ordered them not to engage in similar crimes.Earlier, Rao’s bail plea was rejected by the Bengaluru High Court on 26 April. On 14 and 27 March, Ranya Rao’s bail arguments were also rejected by the special court for economic crimes and sessions court respectively. American citizen and co-accused Tarun Raju were also denied bail on 7 April. Meanwhile, Ranya’s lawyer accused DRI of a document manipulation and argued that the crime was compound. Meanwhile, on 22 April, the Central Government issued a detention order against Ranya under the Cofepoosa Act. Authorities gave the price of seized gold for Rs 12.56 crore. The subsequent investigation revealed that Ranya had traveled 34 times between 2023 and 2025, which increased the suspicion of his participation in a large gold smuggling network.A later raid at his residence was seized by gold jewelery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore. He has been charged under several provisions of sections 135 and 104 of the Customs Act. The Revenue Intelligence Directorate has initiated proceedings under Section 108 to investigate possible financial violations.
