Who Is Ranya Rao? Kannada Actress, IPS Officer's Daughter, Architect-Husband Arrested, Smuggled Gold

Ranya Rao is the name that has been trending all over the internet on March 4, 2025, after she was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, Ranya was found in possession of 14.8 kilograms of gold. After being arrested, she was presented in front of the economic offences court, which remanded her to 14 days in judicial custody.

Who is Ranya Rao? Meet the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer, K. Ramachandra Rao

As per the police, Ranya Rao came onto their radar after she travelled to Dubai four times in a period of just 15 days. The investigation further shared that Ranya has some strong connections that helped her bypass customs checks. Not only this, police also added that when Ranya landed at the Bengaluru airport, she claimed to be the real daughter of Karnataka's Director General of Police.

Upon checking, investigators revealed that Ranya smuggled the gold by wearing a significant portion of it and concealing the rest of it in the form of gold bars in her clothing. Talking about Ranya Rao's family connections, she is the stepdaughter of senior and renowned IPS Officer, K. Ramachandra Rao from Karnataka. Ramchandra Rao is currently serving as the Director-General of Police (DGP) at Karnataka Police Housing Corporation. 

Who is Ranya Rao’s husband, Jatin Hukkeri? Architect who is also arrested with his actress-wife in the gold smuggling case

According to a report in ETimes, Ranya Rao is married to an architect named Jatin Hukkeri, who specialises in designing microbreweries and pubs. What's interesting is that Ranya and Jatin are involved in the case. However, in a conversation with The Times Of India, Ranya's stepfather, DGP K Ramachandra Rao, shared that he and his family have distanced themselves from Ranya Rao and her husband, Jatin Hukkeri.

K Ramachandra Rao shared that his stepdaughter, Ranya Rao and her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, had not visited her since their wedding. Not only this, he also added that Ranya has let them down, and if there's any wrongdoing, then the authorities should take strict action. 

Gold smuggling case: A look at Kannada actress, Ranya Rao's acting career

Talking about Ranya Rao's personal life, she was born in 1991 in Chikmagalur district in Karnataka. After completing her schooling in Bengaluru, she pursued her passion for acting. It was in 2014 when Ranya appeared in the film, Maanikya, which was released in 2014. The actress impressed both the critics and the audience with her acting skills and was next seen in the films, Wagah and Pataki. After making her debut with Maanikya, she was dubbed as Sandalwood's 'IT' girl back in 2014, courtesy of her beauty and acting range.

Once, in an old interview with ETimes, Ranya Rao talked about her passion for acting and shared how he bagged the role in her debut film, Maanikya. The actress revealed that she was first granted permission from her father and then pursued an acting course in Mumbai from Namit Kapoor Acting School. Apart from acting, she is also trained in dance and martial arts. Before acting in films, she worked in a series of theatre plays, which helped her tremendously in her growth as an actor.

In the same interview, Ranya Rao also shared that her family members and relatives circulated pictures of her portfolio to casting coordinators. One of the portfolio pictures came across filmmaker, Sudeep, and he cast her in Maanikya after some screen tests, and the rest is history. We hope the police will soon present the detailed reports of the entire smuggling case in the coming days. 

What are your thoughts on Ranya Rao's gold smuggling case? Let us know.

Also Read: Who Is Srikanth Odela? 'Dasara' Director, Blockbuster Debut Film, Married To His Friend's Sister

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