Bengaluru: A court here on Monday extended the judicial custody of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, and two others until April 21 in connection with a gold smuggling case.Ranya, businessman Tarun Raju, and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain are accused of orchestrating the illegal import of gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai to India.

The case came to light on March 3 when Rao alias HarshavardhaniRanya was apprehended at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport with 14.8 kilograms of gold allegedly smuggled from Dubai. Subsequent investigations revealed that Ranya had made 45 solo trips to Dubai between 2023 and 2025, raising suspicions of her involvement in a broader smuggling network.

Further scrutiny uncovered her association with Vira Diamonds Trading, a Dubai-based firm she co-founded in 2023 with actor and businessman Tarun Raju. Authorities allege that this company was used as a front for smuggling operations. Raju, also known as Virat Konduru, was arrested following evidence of his involvement in purchasing gold in Dubai and facilitating its illegal transport to India.