Kannada Actress' Stepfather Reinstated Amidst Gold Smuggling Controversy

Kannada actress Ranya Rao's stepfather, Ramchandra Rao, has been reinstated as the Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, following his compulsory leave amid allegations involving the actress in a high-profile gold smuggling scandal. The Karnataka government stated in a notification that the order of compulsory leave was withdrawn, allowing Dr. K Ramachandra Rao to resume his post immediately.

The position of Director General of Police for Civil Rights Enforcement has been equated in status and responsibilities to the Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, as per Rule 12 of the IPS (Pay) Rules 2016, said the Under Secretary to the Government. DGP Ramchandra Rao, facing these challenges due to his stepdaughter's arrest at Bengaluru Airport with unaccounted-for gold, is set to retire in May 2026.

The controversy intensified as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth Rs 34.12 crore, linked to a gold smuggling and money laundering case involving Ranya Rao and associates. The ED's investigation, based on a CBI report, revealed a complex network of international smugglers using dual travel documents and hawala channels to bypass legal financial systems, pointing to a significant smuggling operation orchestrated across various countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)