Tollywood Actor Tarun Raj Arrested in Gold Smuggling Case

 Hyderabad: Tollywood actor Tarun Raj Konduru, alias Virat Raj, 30, has been arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence-Bengaluru (DRI) for his alleged

involvement in a gold smuggling syndicate. He is said to be a close associate of actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested on March 3 for her role in the operation.

He has acted in three Telugu films and gained recognition for his role in 'Parichayam'.

According to sources, Ranya Rao reportedly disclosed during her questioning that she along with Tarun Raj had pretended to be travelling to Geneva where US passport holders do not require a separate visa.

Instead of continuing to Switzerland, they smuggled gold into India, by misleading Dubai customs and avoiding scrutiny before landing in Bengaluru.

According to the DRI, Tarun, who hails from Eluru district and is the son of a prominent businessman, played a crucial role in smuggling gold into India.

He allegedly used his US passport to evade customs checks in Dubai, allowing him and Ranya Rao, alias Harshavardini Ramya, 33, to transport gold without

raising suspicion.

The DRI-Bengaluru, along with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), is conducting a joint probe. Authorities believe that Tarun has links with gold smugglers and is well-acquainted with smuggling networks and hawala operators across Geneva, Thailand, Malaysia, Dubai and other countries.

Reliable sources revealed that during interrogation, Tarun admitted that he and Ranya, along with others, established Veera Diamonds Trading LLC, in 2023 in Dubai to trade gold.

The duo was 50:50 partners. While Ranya served as the primary investor, Tarun managed business operations. The company's primary objective was to import gold into Dubai and sell it in the local market.

The investigation is ongoing. Tarun's bail hearing is scheduled in a Bengaluru sessions court.