Karnataka: BJP Alleges Siddaramaiah's Minister's Links To Gold Smuggling, Congress Hits Back With 'Land To Ranya Rao Under BJP'

The Ranya Rao case has escalated into a full-blown political controversy, with BJP State President B Y Vijayendra launching a scathing attack on the ruling Congress government in Karnataka, reported The Hindu.

On Sunday (10 March), Vijayendra alleged that a “prominent minister” in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s cabinet had links to one of the biggest gold heists in recent times.

Without naming anyone, he claimed that gold smuggling worth crores could not have happened without the direct backing of influential figures in the government.

"As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would have received intelligence reports pinpointing the suspected ministers and their involvement, any attempt by the government to shield those responsible will only backfire, especially with the CBI now stepping in. The truth will come out, and any cover-up will only further expose the government’s complicity in this grievous offense," Vijayendra posted on X, quoted as written by The Hindu.

The controversy intensified after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case on 8 March, based on inputs from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), regarding a gold smuggling racket with international links.

Amid the political mudslinging, another development has complicated the narrative.

The Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) clarified that land had been allotted to Ranya Rao’s company, M/s Ksiroda India Pvt. Ltd., in February 2023—when the previous BJP government was in power.

KIADB CEO Mahesh stated that 12 acres of land in Tumakuru’s Sira Industrial Area were allocated to the company on 2 January 2023, during the tenure of then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. 

The project, approved under the State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC), involved an investment of Rs 138 crore and was expected to generate 160 jobs.