After Ranya Rao’s Arrest, IPS Father K Ramachandra Rao Reacts: 'She Let Us Down'

Kannada actress Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling 14 kilogrammes of gold bars and 800 grams of gold jewellery, hidden in a belt strapped to her body.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) took her into custody upon her arrival from Dubai, following an investigation prompted by her frequent visits to the Gulf. Rao, known for her role in the Sudeep-starrer Maanikya, is the stepdaughter of senior Karnataka police officer K Ramachandra Rao. Authorities suspect that she used her connection with her stepfather to bypass Customs checks. Here’s what we know about him.

Who is K Ramachandra Rao?

Karnataka senior police officer K Ramachandra Rao has come under the spotlight following the arrest of his stepdaughter, actress Ranya Rao, at Bengaluru airport for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kg of gold. Since October 2023, he has served as the Director-General of Police (DGP) at the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.

Ranya Rao was arrested and taken into custody by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). On March 4, 2025, she was presented before a special court judge for financial offences, who remanded her to judicial custody until March 18, 2025.

Ranya is his stepdaughter from his second wife’s previous marriage. Rao remarried after the passing of his first wife. 

His name was previously linked to a controversial money seizure case during his tenure as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Southern Range. According to The Week, in 2014, Mysore South Police intercepted a private bus from Calicut near Yelwal in Mysuru and seized cash transported by four Kerala-based merchants. While the police reported confiscating Rs 20 lakh, the merchants alleged that Rs 2.27 crore had been taken and accused the police of colluding with another businessman to misappropriate their money.

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Ramachandra Rao’s gunman, Prakash, was one of the officers present on the bus at the time of the raid. Following the controversy, Rao was transferred from his position, despite his firm denial of all allegations.

K Ramachandra Rao Reacts To Ranya Rao’s Arrest

In an interview with ANI, K Ramachandra Rao distanced himself from the controversy, asserting, "The law will do its job. There is no black mark on my career." He claimed he had no prior knowledge of Ranya Rao’s alleged smuggling activities and only learnt about her arrest through media reports.

"Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when I found out through the media. I was not aware of any of these things. I don’t want to say anything more," he said.

Addressing his relationship with Ranya, Rao clarified, "She is not living with us. She stays separately with her husband. There might be some issues between them… (maybe) due to family problems."

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Authorities are currently investigating whether Ranya Rao acted alone or was part of a larger smuggling network operating between Dubai and India.

According to PTI, initial findings indicate that she may have tried to leverage her connections to evade Customs scrutiny.

Keep reading Herzindagi for more such stories.

Credits: Ranya Rao X/Freepik