Bengaluru: Kannada actress Ranya Rao has approached the Karnataka High Court for bail after her plea was rejected by three subordinate courts in connection with a gold smuggling case.

Her lawyer B S Girish has filed the bail petition in the High Court.

On March 27, the 64th CCH Sessions Court in Bengaluru turned down her bail application, following an earlier refusal by the Special Court for Economic Offences on March 14. Before that, the Magistrate Court had also denied her bail, citing the serious nature of the charges against her.

During a previous hearing, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) informed the court that Ranya Rao had confessed to purchasing gold illegally using hawala funds.

Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, where she was found in possession of 14.8 kg of gold.

The DRI has initiated legal action under Section 108 to probe potential financial irregularities and violations of the law.

PTI