Gold smuggling case: Ranya Rao gets bail, but will stay in Jail

Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who was arrested for smuggling gold bars worth Rs 14.56 crore in March, was granted bail by a special court on Tuesday.The actor will, however, remain in prison as she has also been booked under the stringent Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA), 1974, that allows preventive detention without bail for a year. The Special Court for Economic Offences granted bail to Ms Rao - stepdaughter of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ramachandra Rao -  and another accused Tarun Kondaru Raju after it noted that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had failed to file a charge sheet in the case.Raju and Sahil Sakariya Jain, the third suspect and the jeweller from Ballari, were subsequently arrested. All three are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru. The Special Court for Economic Offences stated the two were entitled to default bail on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh each with two sureties. 
The court further directed the two to appear before it on all dates of hearing without fail, not tamper with or hamper witnesses, co-operate with the investigation, not leave the country without prior permission from the court, and not commit similar offences in the future. “It is made clear that any violation of the conditions imposed by this court will result in the cancellation of bail,” the court observed. Advocate Girish pleaded her case.Case adjourned till June 3. Earlier in the month, Ranya’s mother moved the Karnataka High Court challenging her detention under the COFEPOSA Act. The hearing was adjourned to June 3 as the court directed the Centre to file objections.

(State Correspondent)