The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has confirmed that Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was recently arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai, was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in February 2023. The board’s clarification came amid reports that a company linked to the actor was granted 12 acres of industrial land in 2023.
As political tensions rose over the matter, the office of Karnataka’s Minister for Medium and Large Industries, M B Patil, released the government’s final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the land allocation to Ranya’s firm, Ksiroda India, at the Sira Industrial Area in Tumakuru district. The Congress government came to power after defeating the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in the Karnataka Assembly elections in May 2023, news agency PTI reported.
According to the official proceedings of the Karnataka government, shared by Patil’s office, the approval stated: “Approval to the proposal of M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for manufacture of ‘steel products – TMT bars, rods and allied products’ at Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district.” The notification further detailed that the government had granted in-principle approval to an investment proposal worth ₹138 crore, which was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs.
In a press release issued by Patil’s office, the KIADB clarified that the allotment of land to the company linked to Ranya was completed in January 2023. KIADB CEO Mahesh stated on Sunday that Ksiroda India was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023, during the tenure of the BJP government. The land was approved for allotment in the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting on the same day, Mahesh said, as per PTI.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had earlier revealed in a statement that Ranya was caught smuggling gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Following searches at her residence, investigators seized gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore. The total value of assets seized in the case stands at ₹17.29 crore. The DRI described the case as a major blow to organised gold smuggling networks, NDTV reported.
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‘Ranya Rao Tried To Contact 2 Congress Ministers When Caught’: BJP MLA Alleges
As the case took a political turn, BJP MLA Y Bharath Shetty alleged that Ranya had attempted to contact two Congress ministers after her arrest. “When she was caught, she tried to contact some Congress ministers to use their influence to get out of the problem. Now it is almost in the public domain that two ministers are trying to help her. The CBI has taken over the case; something solid will come out of it, and we will know who is behind this,” Shetty told the media, as per NDTV.
State BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa also cited media reports alleging the involvement of a senior minister in the case. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Vijayendra wrote:
“Media reports about the involvement of a prominent minister in @siddaramaiah’s government in one of the biggest gold heists in recent times come as no surprise—especially given this government’s track record of churning out scandals in increasingly ‘innovative’ ways!”
Vijayendra further alleged that Ranya’s smuggling activities could not have taken place without political backing. “The blatant violation of government protocols that allegedly enabled Ranya Rao to smuggle gold worth over ₹12 crore – and possibly much more in the past – could not have happened without the direct support of influential figures within the government. If these reports are true, it raises serious questions about how deep this nexus runs,” he said.
The BJP leader also claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must have received intelligence reports about the suspected ministers. “Any attempt by the government to shield those responsible will only backfire, especially with the CBI now stepping in. The truth will come out, and any cover-up will only further expose the government’s complicity in this grievous offence,” he added.
Media reports about the involvement of a prominent minister in @siddaramaiah‘s government in one of the biggest gold heists in recent times come as no surprise—especially given this government’s track record of churning out scandals in increasingly “innovative” ways!
The blatant…
— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) March 10, 2025
Quoting a Kannada proverb, Vijayendra said, “A cat may think the world won’t notice if it drinks milk with its eyes closed” and warned the Congress government that people were watching, PTI reported.
Karnataka Home Minister Dismisses BJP Claims As ‘Speculation’
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara dismissed the allegations made by BJP leaders, telling reporters, “Now this has been handed over to CBI. Let the CBI come out with their findings. Till then, this is speculation.”
On the land allotment to Ranya’s company under the BJP regime, Parameshwara remarked, “Even that has to be found out. I was told this was allotted when the BJP was in power. Let them (CBI) find out,” as per NDTV.
How Ranya Rao Was Caught
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is now investigating the case, which was first uncovered by a DRI team at Bengaluru airport last week. Ranya, the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, was intercepted while trying to clear airport security after arriving from Dubai on an Emirates flight.
A DRI statement detailed the arrest: “Upon examination, gold bars weighing 14.2 kg were found ingeniously concealed on her person. The contraband, valued at ₹12.56 crore, was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.”
The investigation then extended to Ranya’s residence on Lavelle Road in Bengaluru. “Following the interception, DRI officers conducted a search at her residential premises… The search resulted in the seizure of gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore,” the DRI said, as per PTI.
According to immigration records reviewed by investigators, Ranya was a frequent traveller. She visited Dubai five times between February 2 and March 3 this year. Last year alone, she made 27 trips to Dubai, which eventually brought her under the DRI’s radar, NDTV reported.
