Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Row: Karnataka Govt Reinstates IPS Officer Ramachandra Rao Months After Suspension

Ranya Rao. (Photo: IANS)

The Karnataka government has reinstated senior IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao months after he was sent on compulsory leave in connection with the gold smuggling case involving his stepdaughter and actress Ranya Rao. He has been appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) of the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, according to an official notification.

DGP Ramachandra Rao was sent on compulsory leave in March 2025 after his stepdaughter, actress Ranya Rao, was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai using privileges granted to family members of senior IPS officers. Rao is due to retire in May 2026.

In a notification, the Government of Karnataka stated, "The order of compulsory leave with respect to Dr K Ramachandra Rao, IPS is hereby withdrawn and the officer is posted with immediate effect and until further orders as Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement in the upgraded vacant post."

Under secretary to government, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms said, "The post of Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement is declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Units & Economic offences, Bengaluru under Rule 12 of IPS (Pay) Rules 2016 as included in Schedule II of the said rule." 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties worth Rs 34.12 crore in connection with transnational gold smuggling and money laundering in a case linked to actress Harshavardini Ranya, alias Ranya Rao and her associates.

As per the ED, the attached assets include properties located in the Bengaluru and Tumkur districts of Karnataka. The action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and executed by the ED's Headquarters Investigative Unit-II, New Delhi. The properties have been attached under Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act as equivalent value assets corresponding to untraced proceeds of a crime unearthed during the investigation.

A search of her residence resulted in the recovery of Rs 2.67 crore in unaccounted Indian currency and gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore. The ED investigation has revealed that Ranya Rao, in active collusion with Tarun Konduru Raju and others, orchestrated a well-structured operation for smuggling gold into India.

(With ANI Inputs)