Revenue intelligence and customs officers are set to intensify surveillance and increase vigilance on international borders to combat potential gold smuggling following a significant increase in customs duty on gold.
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao is set to be released from Bengaluru Central Jail after a year of detention in a gold smuggling case.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has imposed a hefty fine on Kannada film actress Ranya Rao and others in connection with a gold smuggling case. The actress was caught with 14.8 kg of gold at Bengaluru airport.
Former Nepal speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a gold smuggling case dating back three years. He is accused of assisting criminal gangs in selling smuggled gold.
Nepal's former parliament speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara and others have been accused of facilitating gold smuggling, leading to a corruption case filed by the CIAA.
A Special Court of Economic Offences in Bengaluru rejected the bail plea of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, who is accused of gold smuggling. The second accused, Tarun Raju, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days. Ranya, the stepdaughter of a DGP rank officer, was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 after gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her. Subsequent searches at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery and Indian currency. Authorities discovered that Tarun Raju allegedly facilitated the smuggling operation by coordinating the gold's transport and distribution within India.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has dismantled a major international gold smuggling syndicate operating through Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, arresting five individuals and seizing a significant quantity of gold.
The gold, weighing over 30 kg, was seized from the "diplomatic baggage" that had landed by air cargo at the Thiruvananthapuram international airport recently from the Gulf.
Swapna is among the four accused booked by the NIA in the smuggling of 30 kg of gold through diplomatic baggage which arrived at the Thiruvanathapuram International airport.
NIA said that accused Ramees KT and Sharafudheen had travelled to Tanzania and visited shops in the African country where guns are sold. In Tanzania, Rameez attempted to procure a licence for the diamond business. He later smuggled gold to the UAE.
Key accused in the sensational gold smuggling in diplomatic bags case, Swapna Suresh, on Wednesday claimed a co-accused in the case was allegedly forcibly taken away from her residence on Wednesday morning, after she claimed there was a threat to her life and that is why she gave a statement to a court about the alleged involvement of others, including the Kerala chief minister.
UDF convener Benni Behanan said the Front has also decided to move a resolution against Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and seek his resignation.
Kerala IT Secretary M Sivasankar was removed as Secretary to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, in the backdrop of the gold smuggling controversy, where the role of a former woman employee of the IT department is being probed.
Kannada film actress Ranya Rao has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment under COFEPOSA in connection with a gold smuggling case. She was caught with 14.2 kilograms of gold, valued at approximately Rs 12.56 crore, at Kempegowda International Airport.
The Congress demanded a National Investigation Agency probe into the matter while BJP state chief K Surendran courted arrest for forcefully entering the complex soon after the fire broke out. Fire department sources told PTI that their personnel at nearby Chenkalchoola were informed about the incident at 4.45 pm and by the time they reached the spot, the room was filled with smoke.
Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have thwarted two separate gold smuggling attempts, seizing over 3.17 kg of gold worth approximately Rs 4.35 crore and arresting three foreign nationals.
The ED case has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the agency will record the statement of the accused. The central agency will investigate if proceeds of crime were generated by the accused by laundering of funds that were earned through the alleged gold smuggling racket.
The Customs department seized gold worth Rs 3.15 crore from two passengers at Mumbai airport, including a finance professional smuggling gold due to US-Iran conflict concerns.
A day after Suresh, a prime accused who was recently released on bail gave a series of interviews to television channels, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan accused Chief Minister Pinarayi's office of intervening to get the illegal baggage released and helping the accused to leave the state.
The Karnataka government has revoked the suspension order of DGP K Ramachandra Rao and reinstated him into service with immediate effect, posting him as Director General of Police (Police Manual). Rao was suspended in January following allegations of misconduct and embarrassment to the state administration.
Kerala Police have arrested 13 individuals for allegedly attempting to abduct a passenger arriving from abroad at Karipur airport and rob him of gold and cash. The operation was launched based on a tip-off, leading to the seizure of vehicles and the discovery of a larger conspiracy. Authorities are also investigating the possibility of the passenger carrying smuggled gold.
Officials were surprised at how quickly smugglers appraised the Covid situation to recruit jobless migrant workers to ship gold.
The Director General of Police (DGP) of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, Ramachandra Rao, has denied any knowledge of his stepdaughter Ranya Rao's alleged involvement in gold smuggling. Rao expressed deep distress over the incident, saying his reputation has been tarnished irreparably. He emphasised his lifelong dedication to honesty, integrity and discipline, and said his commitment to public service has always been his priority. Rao said he had no knowledge of the situation unfolding in his life and asked for fairness towards himself and his family. The DGP assured that if any laws were violated by Ranya, legal action would be taken.
AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal has released an open letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, alleging secret deals with BJP leaders and the central government, raising questions about the LDF government's functioning ahead of the Assembly elections.
An alert has been issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, lead agency to check smuggling and customs duty evasion, to all international transit points across the country, official sources said.
Shah also said Kerala used to be known for development, literacy and for promoting tourism, but "with the ruling LDF and opposition UDF coming to power alternately has resulted in making the state a platform for political violence."
Customs officials at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport seized electronic items, cosmetics, cigarettes, and crude gold worth over Rs 1.79 crore from passengers arriving from Dubai, leading to one arrest.
According to a source, Suhail Thanalot, a senior crew member of AIE and a native of Thillenkeri in Kannur district, was apprehended following intelligence and evidence compiled by the DRI regarding his involvement in the gold smuggling incident.
Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized approximately 48 crore worth of hydroponic weed from two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok, marking one of the largest narcotics recoveries at an Indian international airport in recent years.
The searches by the ED also covered certain vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu).
Odisha police conducted coordinated raids across multiple districts targeting individuals involved in illegal cattle transportation and smuggling, resulting in significant seizures and detentions.
Customs officials at Delhi's IGI Airport seized suspected hydroponic weed worth approximately Rs 48 crore from two Thai nationals arriving from Bangkok.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
The enforcement agencies during the first nine months of 2013-14 have seized 1,074.41 kg of gold
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday searched locations in Karnataka, including educational institutions linked to state Home Minister G Parameshwara, as part of a probe into alleged gold smuggling-linked money laundering case against Kannada actor Ranya Rao and others. The ED sources said an educational trust is suspected to have "diverted" funds and made a payment of Rs 40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual. The sources claimed the trust is linked to Parameshwara and the "influential" individual is a politically exposed person. The searches found there were no supporting vouchers or documentation to "substantiate" this payment (for credit card bill payment), they said.
Based on the estimate, a courier bringing in 1 kg of gold currently worth around $40,000 at world prices could earn $470 if not caught.
In a letter written by Director General of DRI Najeeb Shah, Air India has been asked to sanitise its staff, especially those involved in ground-handling duties, official sources said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against smugglers bringing gold into India from abroad through various airports. The investigation follows the recent arrest of Kannada actor Ranya Rao at Bengaluru airport with 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore. Two CBI teams have been deployed to Mumbai and Bengaluru airports to gather information.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao, along with businessman Tarun Raju and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain, had their judicial custody extended until April 21 in connection with a gold smuggling case. The trio is accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India. The case came to light in March 2025 when Rao was apprehended at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai. Investigations revealed her association with Vira Diamonds Trading, a Dubai-based firm she co-founded with Tarun Raju, which authorities allege was used as a front for smuggling operations. Raju was arrested following evidence of his involvement in purchasing gold in Dubai and facilitating its illegal transport to India. Jeweller Sahil Jain is suspected of assisting Ranya in selling approximately 49 kilograms of smuggled gold valued at over Rs 40 crore and managing hawala transactions.
The Karnataka government has withdrawn its order directing the Criminal Investigation Department to probe possible lapses and dereliction of duty by police officers at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in connection with actor Ranya Rao's gold smuggling case. The CID probe order was issued on Monday night. A subsequent order on Wednesday withdrawing the CID investigation stated that Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta is already probing the possible role of Ranya's stepfather, K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-rank officer, in the case. Gupta's inquiry will focus on the facts and circumstances leading to the misuse of protocol-related facilities and Rao's involvement in the case. Recently, gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport here. The next day, officials said, searches were conducted at her residence where gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash were recovered.
