In a significant development, a Bengaluru Special Court for Economic Offences rejected the bail application of Kannada actor Ranya Rao today, prolonging her judicial custody in a high-profile gold smuggling case.

Rao was arrested on March 3 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport, accused of smuggling gold bars worth over ₹12 crore from Dubai. The court’s ruling, reserved earlier this week, has intensified scrutiny on the actor and the broader smuggling network under investigation.

The DRI alleges that Rao concealed 15 kilograms of gold in her luggage, evading customs duties estimated in crores. Opposing her bail, the agency cited national security concerns and the risk of evidence tampering, pointing to her potential ties to a larger syndicate. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate have since joined the probe, widening its scope.

Rao’s legal team argued her innocence, claiming she was unaware of the contents, but the court found insufficient grounds to grant relief.

Rao’s arrest has sent shockwaves through Karnataka’s film industry and ignited a political firestorm. The ruling Congress accused the opposition BJP of exploiting the case for political mileage, while the BJP demanded a thorough investigation into alleged elite involvement. Public reactions remain polarized, with fans decrying the arrest as a setup, while others see it as a crackdown on economic offenses.