In the wake of the recent incident wherein film actress Ranya Rao, 33, was intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) with 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore at the Bengaluru International Airport, state and central authorities are likely to seek a reconfiguration of the international arrival area at the airport.
Following an inspection this week of the international arrival area at the Bengaluru International Airport by a joint team of state and central officials, it has been pointed out that there are no Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMD) in place at the airport for passengers to pass through on arrival on international flights before entering the customs area.
“An assessment of the arrival area for international passengers has shown that the DFMD is not placed in an area used by passengers to enter the customs area when they leave an aircraft and enter the airport building. This allows passengers to move to the customs area without scanning their hand baggage and bodies,” a state police officer said.
The Karnataka Police have suggested installing the DFMD equipment at points where passengers arriving on international flights can be scanned before they enter the customs area. “At present, the customs checks are completely based on intelligence or suspicion and as a result, hand baggage is not checked for international arrivals,” sources said.
Ranya Rao alias Harshavardini Ranya, who arrived on a Dubai to Bengaluru Emirates flight EK566 on March 3, 2025, was accompanied by a police protocol officer after she exited her flight and walked through a green channel (no goods to declare) in the customs area before being intercepted by DRI officials.
A DRI search revealed she had concealed gold worth Rs 12.56 crore on her person – which amounted to a customs duty evasion to the tune of Rs 4.83 crore.
With no metal detectors to check on the passengers arriving on international flights and the cover of the police protocol officer – who was allegedly instructed by the stepfather of Ranya Rao, senior Karnataka IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao, to assist his stepdaughter – the actress was able to leave the customs area without any checking, police sources said.
Story continues below this ad
An inquiry ordered by the Karnataka government into the alleged extension of protocol facilities at the Bengaluru International Airport to Ranya Rao has found that the actress availed the police protocol service every time she arrived from Dubai.
The ongoing DRI probe in the gold smuggling case has revealed that Basappa Billur, a Bengaluru police constable who was the protocol officer at the airport, had been instructed by DGP rank officer K Ramachandra Rao to assist his family members and relatives by extending protocol services during their arrival and departure. He has said that he had been assisting Ranya Rao for many years at the airport.
The extension of the protocol services through the police department is strictly available only to IPS officers of the rank of SP and above. The rule has been enforced by some senior police officials under whose jurisdiction the airport operates but the services have been extended to friends and family of all officers beyond the stipulation by others.
The Bengaluru police have meanwhile decided to withdraw the police protocol services at the airport in the wake of the controversy. The protocol as prescribed by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms will, however, be available to IAS officers, sources said.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd