A Kannada film actor accused in a large-scale gold smuggling case is expected to be released this week after completing a year-long preventive detention period under the Preservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (Cofeposa), according to officials familiar with the investigation.
Rania Rao, also known as Harshavardini Rania, was arrested in March 2025 and was remanded in custody on April 22 that year. The detention period has now ended, and law enforcement agencies cannot extend detention under the same provisions, officials said.
An officer said she may be released later in the day or by Thursday, after her legal team completed the outstanding bond requirements associated with the regular bail granted earlier. “Despite securing bail months ago, she remained in custody under the Kovipuzha order,” the officer said.
Rao, the stepdaughter of Karnataka police officer Ramachandra Rao, is accused of being involved in a gold smuggling operation valued at over $102 Crores. Investigators claim that more than 100 kg of gold was smuggled from Dubai to Bengaluru between 2024 and 2025.
Officials linked to the case said the operation may have involved more than 127 kg of gold transported to India over the course of a year through a coordinated network. The gold was allegedly transported to the local market using intermediaries, including dealers and goldsmiths.
The case was handled by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, which described the operation as one of the most important smuggling networks uncovered in recent years. According to investigators, the network relied on multiple transport companies and an organized distribution chain to move gold across borders to local markets.
Rao and another accused, identified as Sahil Jain, were arrested under the provisions of the Kovipuzha Act in April last year for their alleged role in facilitating the operation. Two of her colleagues are also expected to be released with her after their detention terms expire, officials said.
The remand orders were appealed, but were later upheld by higher courts, including the Supreme Court, which refused to intervene, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the scale of suspected smuggling activities.
