2 months ago
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The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), done its Headquarters Investigation Unit-II, New Delhi, has filed a prosecution ailment nether the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, earlier the Special Court for PMLA cases successful Bengaluru against Harshavardini Ranya alias Ranya Rao, Tarun Konduru, and Sahil Sakariya Jain successful transportation with the golden smuggling and wealth laundering case.
The ED initiated the probe based connected the FIR dated March 7, 2025, registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), AC-II, New Delhi, nether provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, pursuing a ailment by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
The FIR pertains to the interception of 14.213 kg of foreign-origin golden worthy astir ₹12.56 crore from Ranya astatine the Kempegowda International Airport connected March 3, 2025. Subsequent searches reportedly led to the betterment of golden jewellery valued astatine ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore. The DRI has separately filed a prosecution ailment nether Section 135 of the Customs Act, said the ED successful a statement.
According to the ED, its probe revealed that a full of 127.287 kg of golden valued astatine astir ₹102.55 crore was smuggled into India betwixt March 2024 and March 2025.
The contraband golden was allegedly disposed of successful the home marketplace done a web of handlers and jewellers. The proceeds were generated successful currency and routed done hawala channels successful India and abroad.
These funds were allegedly layered and passed done aggregate slope accounts and entities to task them arsenic morganatic concern transactions.
Search operations nether Section 17 of PMLA were conducted connected May 21 and 22, 2025, astatine 16 locations crossed Karnataka, starring to the seizure of incriminating documents, integer devices, and Indian and overseas currency.
Statements of respective individuals were recorded nether Section 50 of PMLA during the people of the probe.
The ED besides provisionally attached immovable properties worthy ₹34.12 crore held successful the sanction of Harshavardini Ranya nether Section 5(1) of PMLA done Provisional Attachment Order dated July 4, 2025.
