The Customs Department has imposed a penalty of ₹ 89 crore on Kannada actress Ranya Rao in the gold smuggling case, holding her liable for violations related to the alleged smuggling of gold from Dubai to India.
The penalty was imposed through a 399-page adjudication order issued by Customs Joint Director Sandeep following the department’s investigation into an alleged smuggling network involving Rao and three others. The four accused have been collectively penalised more than ₹ 244 crore. Rao was fined ₹ 89 crore, while Tarun Konduru Raju was penalised ₹ 49.51 crore, and Sahil Jain and Bharat Kumar Jain were each fined ₹ 53.06 crore. The case dates back to March 3, 2025, when Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials intercepted Rao after she arrived at Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai . Officials recovered 14.213 kg of concealed foreign-origin gold valued at around ₹ 12.56 crore. A subsequent search of her residence led to the seizure of ₹ 2.67 crore in unaccounted cash and gold jewellery valued at ₹ 2.06 crore, according to the Enforcement Directorate. The investigation subsequently examined alleged smuggling activities between March 7, 2024, and February 18, 2025. Investigators alleged that Rao and her associates had brought around 113 kg of gold from Dubai to India during this period.
The Customs proceedings examined the alleged roles of Rao, Raju, Jain and Bharat Kumar Jain in the operation, including Rao’s alleged links with the three other accused.
The latest Customs action follows earlier proceedings by the DRI, which issued penalty notices to Rao and the other accused in September 2025. The DRI had then sought a penalty of ₹ 102 crore from Rao over the alleged smuggling activities. Rao was arrested on March 3, 2025, and was subsequently granted statutory bail in the Customs-related case. However, she remained in custody after the Centre invoked the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), for her preventive detention. The Supreme Court in April 2026 upheld the preventive detention order against Rao. She walked out of Bengaluru Central Prison on April 22 after completing the one-year detention period.
