The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has come under the spotlight after revealing that Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya, alias Ranya Rao, arrested recently for smuggling gold from Dubai, was allotted 12 acres of industrial land in 2023 by the previous BJP-led government. The disclosure, made on Sunday, follows reports linking Ranya’s company, Ksiroda India Private Limited, to the land allocation in the Sira Industrial Area of Tumakuru district, sparking a political controversy in the state.
Ranya, stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, was apprehended by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at Kempegowda International Airport with gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore. Subsequent searches at her residence uncovered gold jewelry valued at Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash, bringing the total seizure to Rs 17.29 crore. The high-profile case has now taken a political turn, with the KIADB clarifying that the land was allotted under the BJP regime, prior to the Congress assuming power in May 2023.
According to a press release from the office of Minister for Medium and Large Industries M B Patil, the land allocation was finalized on January 2, 2023, during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting chaired by the previous government. A government notification dated February 22, 2023, further confirmed the approval for Ksiroda India to establish a steel manufacturing unit producing TMT bars, rods, and allied products. The project, pegged at an investment of Rs 138 crore, promised to create around 160 jobs.
KIADB CEO Mahesh emphasized that the decision predated the current Congress administration, stating, "The allotment was approved when the last government was in power." The board’s statement appears aimed at deflecting criticism as opposition voices question the due diligence behind the allocation to a firm linked to an individual now accused of organized crime.
The unfolding scandal has raised eyebrows, given Ranya’s connection to Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-rank officer currently serving as chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. The seizure of assets worth Rs 4.73 crore, alongside the smuggled gold, has been hailed as a significant strike against gold smuggling networks. However, the revelation of industrial incentives granted to Ranya’s company has intensified scrutiny on the decision-making processes of the previous administration.