Ranya Rao (File Image)
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested in a gold smuggling case, has leveled sensational charges against the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). She alleged that she was slapped repeatedly, starved of food, and made to sign blank papers during detention. The actress, who is claiming innocence, has penned a letter to the Additional Director General of DRI, stating that she was falsely accused.
Ranya Rao, daughter of a top police officer, was detained at Bengaluru Airport with gold bars valued at ₹12.56 crore hidden in a secret waistband. In her letter, forwarded through the chief superintendent of Parappana Agrahara Jail, Ranya claimed she was arrested within the flight itself and was not provided with an opportunity to offer any explanation prior to her arrest.
In her petition, the actress described the claimed coercion by DRI officers, explaining that she was compelled to sign 50-60 typed pages and 40 blank sheets in great fear. "Right from the time of my detention till the time I was produced in court, I was treated very badly. I have been slapped 10-15 times by officers I can recognize," she said.
Ranya's letter emerged merely a day after a special court in Bengaluru had turned down her bail application. The ruling by the court is a major development in the case, which is still in progress with multiple legal turns. For now, she has been sent to 15 days of judicial custody.
The authorities are actively pursuing the case, and DRI officials have not yet reacted to Ranya Rao's claims. In the meantime, the case has attracted a lot of media attention, with arguments regarding the handling of suspects in custody and the broader issue of gold smuggling.
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