'I was not aware of any of these things', DGP speaks out after daughter's gold smuggling arrest

Bengaluru: Ramachandra Rao, Director-General of Police (Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation), distanced himself from the incident, saying, "The law will do its job. There is no black mark on my career," in a statement to news agency ANI.

He added, "Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when it came to my notice through the media. I was not aware of any of these things. I don't want to say anything more."

Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of Mr Rao, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after arriving from Dubai on an Emirates flight.

Sources revealed that the arresting officers found her attempting to smuggle gold by wearing a substantial amount and concealing the rest in her clothing. It is also reported that two aides carried gold bars in briefcases.

The senior police officer further explained, "She is not living with us... she is living separately with her husband. There must be some problem between them... (maybe) due to some family issues."

Ms Rao is the daughter of Mr Rao’s second wife, who had two children from her previous marriage.

Preliminary investigations suggest that Ms Rao used her connections to bypass security checks.

She reportedly identified herself as the daughter of a Karnataka DGP and requested local police for an escort. Authorities had been monitoring her for some time due to her frequent trips to Dubai, with sources saying she had made four visits in just 15 days. After her most recent trip, officers set a trap.

She was intercepted just as she was about to clear customs, and a search led to the discovery of nearly 15kg of gold valued at Rs 12.56 crore, marking one of the largest gold seizures at Bengaluru airport in recent years.