DK Shivakumar Defends G Parameshwara’s 'Wedding Gift' To Ranya Rao Amid ED Raids In Gold Smuggling Case

Amid ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara in connection with a gold smuggling case involving actor Ranya Rao, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has added a new dimension to the matter, stating that Parameshwara told him he had simply given a wedding gift to the actor, insisting there was "nothing wrong in it".

Shivakumar visited the Home Minister at his residence earlier today.

Photo Credit: x.com/RanyaRao, PTI

According to an NDTV report, he said: "I just spoke to Parameshwara, there was a marriage (ceremony), we are in public life, we run institutions. As a gesture to people we know, we give lots of gifts, we give Re 1, Rs 10, Rs 10 lakh, Rs 5 lakh. I think he might have also given a gift. It was a marriage, nothing wrong in it."

The Deputy Chief Minister clarified that no politician would endorse the kind of activities Ranya Rao is accused of.

"Whatever activities done by that lady is a personal issue, the law will take its course. As far as Parameshwar is concerned, we meet thousands of people, we don't know who does what. We don't want to interfere with the law and ED. I just discussed with him, I asked him what is the reality, he said at the time of marriage, he has given, he has gifted, quite natural," he added.

The ED has carried out raids at multiple educational institutions associated with the Home Minister as part of its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The central agency is also investigating hawala operators who are believed to have carried out 'fake' transactions into accounts linked to Ranya Rao.

Parameshwara confirmed that ED officials visited three institutions and a university, seeking financial records from the past five years. He stated he had directed his staff to fully cooperate with the investigation.

"As a person who believes in the law of the land, I am prepared to cooperate with whatever comes out of their verifications or searches," he said. When asked about allegations that Rs 40 lakh from his institution's account was used to pay Ranya Rao's credit card bill, he replied that he would address the matter once the investigation concludes.

Ranya Rao was arrested on 3 March at Bengaluru airport after arriving from Dubai. Officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 12 kg of gold bars from her, valued at over Rs 12 crore.

A special court granted her and a co-accused bail yesterday after the DRI failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated time.

However, the actor remains in custody as she is also charged under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974, which permits preventive detention without bail for up to a year.

The ED, describing the case as a major breakthrough, alleged that an educational trust diverted funds to settle a Rs 40 lakh credit card bill belonging to Ranya Rao, supposedly under the instruction of an influential individual.

"No supporting vouchers or documentation were found to substantiate this payment," the agency stated.