The customs has imposed penalties totaling Rs. 270.80 crore on Kannada film actress Ranya Rao and three others, holding that they were part of a gold-smuggling syndicate which brought more than 127 kilograms of the yellow metal, worth Rs. 102.50 crore into India between March 2024 and March 2025.
Sandeep Gujral, joint commissioner, airport, Bangalore, in an order passed on September 30, 2026, held Ranya responsible for the entire consignment and imposed a Rs. 102.50-crore penalty on her. Tarun Konduru Raju was fined Rs. 62.10 crore while Sahil Jain and Bharath Kumar Jain were each fined Rs. 53.10 crore.
The case stems from the seizure of 14.20 kgs. of gold, worth Rs. 12.60 crore allegedly from Ranya on March 3, 2025, after she arrived in Bangalore from Dubai.
The order described Ranya as the prime accused. The customs department held that Raju handled documentation as well as the handover of gold on the Dubai side. Sahil and Bharath were involved in disposing of the gold in India and arranging payments through hawala transactions.
