Archive · 13 Sep 2025
Karnataka High Court Stays ED Attachment of Actress's Properties
Imagine a famous actress named Ranya was caught trying to bring in a lot of gold from Dubai without telling anyone.
The government thinks she was involved in gold smuggling, which is like secretly bringing gold into the country.
Because of this, the government wanted to take some of her property.
However, a judge looked at the case and said they couldn't take her property if she got it before the smuggling happened.
So, the court stopped the government from taking her stuff for now, while the case is being looked into.
Other people, like her friend and some business people, are also in trouble and have to pay a lot of money as a penalty.
Karnataka High Court stayed ED's attachment notice on actress Ranya Rao's properties.
The ED's notice was in connection to a money laundering case linked to gold smuggling.
Ranya Rao was arrested in March 2025 for smuggling 14.2 kg of gold from Dubai.
DRI issued a penalty notice of Rs 102 crore against Rao, and Rs 56 crore each to Konduru and the Jains.
The court's ruling cited that properties acquired before the alleged offense cannot be attached.
- Who
- Ranya Rao, along with other individuals, including her actor friend and hawala dealers.
- What
- The Karnataka High Court stayed the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) provisional attachment of properties linked to alleged gold smuggling activities.
- When
- The ED attachment order was issued July 4, 2025, and stayed on September 10. Rao was arrested in March 2025.
- Where
- Bengaluru International Airport and Dubai.
- Why
- The court stayed the attachment because it found that the properties acquired before the alleged predicate offense could not be part of the attachment.
- Accused
- Harshavardhini Ranya (Ranya Rao)
- Offense
- Money laundering related to gold smuggling
- Court Ruling
- Stayed ED's provisional attachment notice
- Smuggling Details
- 14.2 kg gold (Rs 12.56 crore) seized at airport; 127 kg gold smuggled total
- Other Accused
- Tarun Konduru, Sahil Jain, Bharat Jain
- Penalty Notices
- Rs 102 crore (Ranya Rao); Rs 56 crore each (Konduru, Sahil Jain, Bharat Jain)