Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal made a controversial remark about Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested for allegedly smuggling over 14 kg of gold from Dubai. Speaking to reporters, Yatnal made a crude remark stating she hid the gold “wherever she had holes.”
He further claimed to have gathered detailed information about her connections, including those who facilitated her security and the smuggling operation. Yatnal also vowed to reveal the names of ministers involved in the case during the upcoming Assembly session.
“I will expose everything in the session. Whoever is guilty must be held accountable, can we defend someone just because they are a central government employee? There were lapses by customs officials, and necessary action should be taken against them,” he said.
Actress Ranya Rao alleged that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths repeatedly slapped and hit her during custody, and demanded she sign statements under threats that they will “expose” her stepfather, director general of police (DGP) K Ramachandra Rao.
Rao, whose bail plea was denied by the Special Court for Economic Offences in Bengaluru, is presently in judicial custody and the DRI, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are investigating the case. The state government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to look into the aspect of the involvement of DGP Ramachandra Rao and police lapses.
Making the serious allegations against the DRI sleuths in a letter to the Additional Director General, DRI, on March 6 when she was being sent to the Central Jail in Bengaluru after her arrest at the Bengaluru International Airport, submitted through the jail’s Chief Superintendent of Prisons, the actress requested the ADG that no reliance be placed on any of her statements recorded during the period from the time of her apprehension and till she was produced in the court.
