New Delhi: Actor Ranya Rao, who was caught smuggling gold earlier this month, has made three big revelations to her interrogators, sources told Times Now. The 31-year-old was caught smuggling 14 kg of gold on March 3.
The actor told officials that a "man in white gown handed gold bars". "Rao has said that she does not know the man," said the source.
Rao, 31, also told officials that the "mystery man handed her over the gold in Dubai".
The man, she said, "was 6-feet tall and had an African-American accent".
The revelations have forced the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to probe a larger conspiracy of a "coordinated smuggling syndicate" operating from Dubai.
Days after the arrest of the Kannada actor, the DRI has asked the CBI to probe a larger conspiracy of a "coordinated smuggling syndicate" operating from Dubai and the role of government officials in it. The DRI made the request to CBI after it arrested two foreign nationals from Oman and UAE at the Mumbai airport earlier this month with 21.28 kg of gold worth Rs 18.92 crore.

Rao, who is in the custody of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has told her interrogators that it was the first time she smuggled gold from Dubai. The actor also revealed that she learnt to hid gold from YouTube videos.
"I received a call from a foreign phone number on March 1. I had been receiving calls from unknown foreign numbers for the past two weeks. I was instructed to go to Gate A at Terminal 3 of Dubai Airport. I was told to collect the gold at Dubai Airport and deliver it in Bengaluru," she said.
"This was the first time I smuggled gold from Dubai to Bengaluru. I have never brought or purchased gold from Dubai before," Rao said in a U-turn to her previous statements to DRI officials.
Ranya Rao, 31, has allegedly told her interrogators that she bought crepe bandages and scissors at the airport and attached the gold bars to her body in a restroom at the airport.
"The gold was in two plastic-covered packets. I attached the gold bars to my body in the airport restroom. I hid the gold in my jeans and shoes. I learnt how to do this from YouTube videos."
The state government said that the CID probe order- issued on Monday night - was being withdrawn as Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta is already probing the possible role of Ranya's stepfather, K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-rank officer, in the case.
Ramachandra Rao is currently serving as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Gupta's inquiry will focus on the facts and circumstances leading to the misuse of protocol-related facilities and Rao's involvement in the case.
Besides, gold bars worth Rs 14 crore, officials seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from Ranya Rao's residence.