Kannada Actress Ranya Rao Possible Connection to 2013 UAE Embassy Gold Smuggling Case

A high-profile gold smuggling racket involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, also known as Harshavardhini Ranya, has unearthed possible links to a notorious 2013 gold smuggling case that rocked Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested Ranya Rao, 33, along with Telugu actor Virat Konduru and hawala dealer Sahil Sakariya Jain, 27, in connection with the smuggling of 49.6 kg of gold valued at over ₹40 crore from Dubai between November 2024 and February 2025. The accused are currently under preventive detention for a year under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), following an April 22, 2025 order issued by the Union government.

Sahil Jain’s Past Ties to 2013 UAE Embassy Gold Smuggling Case

The spotlight has now turned to Sahil Jain, who is allegedly the key receiver of the smuggled gold. Investigators have discovered that Sahil may be the same individual who filed a habeas corpus plea in 2013 in the Delhi High Court for the release of his father, Komal Jain — the main accused in a 2013 gold smuggling case involving a UAE embassy official.

In March 2013, Komal Jain, a Delhi-based jeweller, was detained by DRI at Delhi airport after gold worth ₹9.79 crore (36.56 kg) was discovered in the baggage of a UAE embassy official traveling from Singapore. Komal was accused of orchestrating the smuggling using the official as a courier. Though the diplomat was protected by immunity and deported to Dubai, Komal was later detained under COFEPOSA. Following his release in November 2013, he went missing and was declared a proclaimed offender in 2020, with ongoing cases under the DRI and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

New Identity and Ongoing Investigations

In the Bengaluru case, Sahil Jain is recorded as the son of a Bellary-based businessman, Mahendra Kumar Jain. However, sources indicate this may be a false identity, as the DRI suspects he could in fact be Komal Jain’s son. When the ED attempted to trace Komal in 2018, Sahil reportedly told officials he did not know his father’s whereabouts.

Komal Jain was also named in a 2009 gold smuggling case involving Noida SEZ firm Vee Ess Jewellers Pvt Ltd. Although the case did not hold up in court, the DRI had accused Komal of using SEZ benefits to smuggle high-end gold jewellery into India under the guise of raw material imports.

Sahil Jain’s Nationwide Smuggling Footprint

Sahil Jain has been identified by DRI as a key player in a large-scale, sophisticated smuggling network. He is linked to earlier smuggling operations in Mumbai and Kolkata from 2019 to 2022, including a gold smuggling syndicate operating via the Indo-Bangladesh border. In one operation, DRI seized 41.64 kg of gold across Mumbai, Kolkata, and Raipur.

In the current Bengaluru case, Ranya Rao was caught on March 3, 2025, carrying 14.2 kg of gold worth ₹12.56 crore on arrival from Dubai. The gold haul would have led to customs duty evasion of ₹4.83 crore. Authorities say that this was not an isolated incident — the DRI claims Ranya smuggled gold on multiple trips to Dubai, with Sahil Jain receiving a total of 49.6 kg of smuggled gold from her.

Legal Proceedings and Future Probes

While Sahil Jain, Ranya Rao, and Virat Konduru remain in custody under COFEPOSA, Komal Jain continues to evade law enforcement. The DRI has not issued any summons for Komal or Mahendra Kumar Jain in the Bengaluru case as of now.

Advocate C V Siju, who represents Sahil Jain, has stated that DRI has not examined Sahil’s father in relation to the current investigation. However, given the emerging connections and the use of multiple identities, authorities are expected to widen the probe to uncover the full extent of the smuggling network.

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