The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)has launched a probe into the alleged role of public servants in facilitating gold smuggling from Dubai following a complaint by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence(DRI), which recently made two arrests, including that of actor Rabya Rao, from Bengaluru, officials said on Thursday.
The DRI arrested Ranya Rao from the Kempe Gowda International Airport in Bengaluru on March 3 for allegedly trying to smuggle over 14 kg of gold from Dubai.
The action was followed by the arrests of two foreigners (Omani and UAE nationals), also coming from Dubai, from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai while attempting to smuggle 21.28 kg of gold into India valued at Rs 18.92 crore on March 6. “These two foreign nationals previously arrived at the Mumbai airport multiple times,” the DRI complaint to the CBI said.
Searches at Rao’s residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. She also made multiple international travels, including to and from Dubai, officials said.
These arrests in “quick succession” involving alleged smugglers with large quantities of gold coming from Dubai and the high frequency of these visits involving Indian and foreign nationals sent the alarm bells ringing about a “coordinated smuggling syndicate”, possibly operating from Dubai, the officials said.
The DRI roped in the CBI because of the larger national and international ramifications.