The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a probe on Thursday into the high-profile gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao. Sources confirmed that ED officials conducted searches at eight locations in Bengaluru and beyond, though specifics remain undisclosed.

Concurrently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) raided nine sites across Bengaluru, targeting properties linked to Ranya’s husband, Jatin Vijaykumar Hukkeri, who secured a High Court interim order against arrest on Tuesday. Investigations revealed Ranya booked Dubai round-trips using Jatin’s credit card, fueling suspicions of his involvement.

Ranya was arrested by DRI on March 3 at Bengaluru International Airport, allegedly smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai. She claimed unknown callers instructed her to collect gold from a man at Dubai Airport’s Terminal 3, concealing it in her jeans, shoes, and thighs using bandages—techniques she learned from YouTube.

She insisted it was her first attempt, intended for delivery to an auto-rickshaw near the airport. However, DRI officials suspect she’s withholding key details, noting she could have sought help from her stepfather or police if coerced.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also filed an FIR, intensifying its probe, while the state government faced scrutiny for withdrawing a CID investigation into police involvement within 24 hours.

Home Minister G. Parameshwara defended the move, citing a parallel DPAR probe into DGP Rao’s role in granting Ranya protocol privileges. BJP MLA S.R. Vishwanath alleged the withdrawal shielded influential figures, predicting ED, CBI, and IT probes would expose the truth.