Gold smuggling case: K’taka govt to look into land allotment to actress Ranya Rao during BJP’s tenure
Bengaluru: Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil, stated on Monday that he will look into the involvement of BJP politicians in connection with the case related to the allotment of 12 acres of land to jailed Kannada actress Ranya Rao.
The actress was arrested after being caught while smuggling gold at the Bengaluru International Airport, on last Monday.
She is in the custody of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the matter is also being probed by the CBI.
Reacting to the development of land allotment of 12 acres made to Ranya Rao by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) by the previous BJP government, Minister Patil stated, “I got to know about allocation of 12 acres of land by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board to jailed actress Ranya Rao in Sira in Tumakuru district through the media. I verified this with my officers. The land allocated to this lady, her two brothers and some partners was for a TMT factory.”
“This land was allocated on February 2023 by the previous BJP government. This is what I know. I have sought further details. I am getting information on whether they had paid the money and taken possession of the land and implemented the project,” Minister Patil said.
When asked if there was any involvement of BJP politicians in getting the land allotted to Ranya Rao and others, Minister Patil stated that he would look into all details.
“Because, if the money has not been deposited and if the project has not been implemented in the stipulated time period, the land will be taken back by the KIADB,” Minister Patil stated.
“Probably, I will get information by the evening and I will share it with the media,” Minister Patil added.
Responding to Karnataka BJP chief, B.Y. Vijayendra alleging that Ranya Rao made a phone call to a minister at the time of arrest, Minister Patil stated he was not aware of it and Vijayendra should reveal which minister had got a call from her.
A.S Ponanna, Congress MLA and the Legal Advisor to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Ranya Rao, is the daughter of a senior police officer and the allotment of the industrial land was done in 2023, under the BJP’s tenure.
“If B.Y. Vijayendra is stating that ministers are involved in this case, then he must come out with the names of all the ministers. First let him clarify which minister is responsible for the allotment of land,” he demanded.
Meanwhile, KIADB has clarified that M/s Ksiroda India Pvt. Ltd., a company linked to Kannada actress Ranya Rao, was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023.
CEO, Mahesh, clarified, the land, located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day, when the previous BJP government was in power.
The company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for Steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of Rs 138 crore.
“The project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs,” he said.
The issue is likely to trigger a controversy in the state and bring the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP on a confrontational path.
Kannada actress Ranya Rao aka Harshavardini Ranya, in her statement to the DRI on the day of her arrest, claimed that she is a freelancer in the real estate sector in Dubai and agreed to smuggle 17 bars of gold.
The DRI officials arrested Ranya Rao after seizing 14.8 kg of gold from her at the Bengaluru International Airport on Monday night.
The agency seized Rs 2.06 crore worth of gold and Rs 2.67 crore in cash from her upscale Lavelle Road flat, where she reportedly paid Rs 4.5 lakh in rent.
DGP for Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation, K. Ramachandra Rao, responding to the development of the arrest of his stepdaughter stated on Thursday that he is devastated and caught unaware by the case involving Ranya Rao.
