The Karnataka government has put on compulsory leave for K Ramachandra Rao, the senior IPS officer, on the recent allegations that followed him of his involvement in the gold smuggling of Ranya Rao; his stepdaughter. Mr Rao, a DGP-ranking officer of the 1993 IPS batch, was stated to be a strong contender for the next state police chief.
As per the order issued on Saturday by the government, K V Sharath Chandra, an officer of the 1997 IPS batch, is now to take charge of Rao as chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
On the other hand, a Bengaluru court denied Ranya Rao bail due to her 27 travels to Dubai since January 2025, her Dubai Resident Identity Card, and the falling under threat to national security. DRI argued in the court that Ranya misused police protocol services at the airport, available for her stepfather, to smuggle gold into India.
The DRI arrested Ranya on March 3 at Kolkata International Airport, with 14.2 kg of gold, worth ₹12.56 crore. A police escort at the airport helped her walk through the green channel without declaring the gold to customs.
Her stepfather disowned her after her arrest, asserting that she had not contacted them since marrying an architect in November 2024. On 9 March, Telugu movie actor Tarun Konduru Raju or Virat Konduru was also arrested as a suspect in the smuggling gang.
This case is thoroughly investigated by the CBI, ED, and DRI. The case was filed by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act, while money laundering is being probed by the ED. A team from the above agencies raided the Ranya-husband-gold trade businessman’s premises in Bengaluru on March 13.
Edited by Saumya Sharan
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