In the latest developments in the gold smuggling case involving actress Ranya Rao, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has claimed she was not just a mule but co-ran a Dubai-based company, Vira Diamonds, with Tarun Raju to smuggle gold into India.

According to the DRI, Rao and her associate Tarun Raju ran Vira Diamonds, a Dubai-based firm that served as a front for smuggling gold into India. Between 2023 and 2025, she made 52 trips to Dubai, with Raju accompanying her on 26- often leaving in the morning and returning the same day. Officials say their finances were linked, with Rao booking Raju's flights using her money.

Raju was arrested after Rao's sensational capture at Bengaluru airport, where she was caught red-handed. After authorities issued a Lookout Circular, he allegedly attempted to flee on March 8. Officials now suspect the duo operated a sophisticated gold-smuggling network, making them far more than small-time smugglers. Investigators are digging deeper to expose the full scale of this illicit trade.