Bengaluru/New Delhi, March 15 — Kannada actor Ranya Rao has retracted her confession in the gold smuggling case, claiming she was forced to sign statements under duress.
In a letter to the Additional Director General of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), she alleged physical assault and coercion by officers, as per India Today.
Ranya was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, for allegedly smuggling over 14 kg of gold from Dubai. While she initially admitted to the crime, she now claims she was assaulted and pressured into signing 50-60 typed pages and 40 blank sheets.
“I was slapped 10-15 times by officers whom I can identify. Despite repeated assaults, I resisted signing their prepared statements,” she wrote in the letter.
Ranya, the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, has faced scrutiny over possible connections. However, the officer has denied any involvement in her alleged illegal activities.
Originally from Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Ranya studied engineering before entering the film industry. She debuted in 2014 with Maanikya alongside Sudeep and later worked in Tamil and Kannada films, including Wagah (2016) and Pataki (2017).
Read More: ED Joins Probe Into Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case
