Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar defended Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara after reports emerged that he had given a wedding gift to actress Ranya Rao, who is currently under investigation in a gold smuggling case.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar clarified the nature of the gift. “I just spoke to Parameshwara. It was a wedding. We are public figures, and we often give gifts as a gesture—sometimes it’s Re 1, Rs 10, or even Rs 10 lakh. There’s nothing unusual about that,” he said, according to NDTV. He added that no politician would support the kind of illegal activity Rao is accused of.
Ranya Rao was arrested at Bengaluru airport with 12 kg of gold bars worth over Rs 12 crore. She was taken into custody by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after arriving from Dubai. While a special court has granted her bail due to a delay in charges being filed, she remains in jail under the stringent COFEPOSA Act, which allows for preventive detention for up to a year.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has since launched an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Raids were conducted at several educational institutions linked to Parameshwara. The agency is also probing hawala transactions allegedly connected to Rao, including a claim that Rs 40 lakh from an institution’s account was used to pay her credit card bill.
Parameshwara confirmed that ED officers visited three institutions and a university, requesting financial records from the past five years. “I’ve asked my staff to cooperate fully,” he said. “I believe in the law and will support the investigation in every way.”
When questioned about the alleged Rs 40 lakh payment, Parameshwara said he would respond after the investigation concludes. The ED has stated that no documentation has been found to justify the transaction and alleges it was done under the direction of an influential person.
