Bengaluru: The BJP raised the issue of arrest of actress Ranya Rao in the gold smuggling case in the Legislative Assembly on Monday and urged the Karnataka government to disclose the names of the ministers who are allegedly involved with the actress in the case.
As BJP leaders chided Home Minister G. Parameshwara for maintaining that he doesn’t have information in this regard, the House turned chaotic for some time.
BJP MLA and General Secretary V. Sunil Kumar raised the issue in the ‘Zero Hour’ and demanded that the government disclose the names of the ministers who are allegedly involved in the gold smuggling case.
“It is suspected that the police department has provided the protocol for the gold smuggling. The government should disclose the minister behind this,” MLA Sunil Kumar claimed.
Answering the question, Home Minister Parameshwara stated that the investigation of the case comes under the Union government.
“We only know as much as you know about the case. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate which minister has played a role,” HM Parameshwara stated.
Sunil Kumar responded saying how can the Home Minister claim that he doesn’t know anything much about the case.
Parameshwara answered that the state police were investigating what was in their jurisdiction and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have not shared any information regarding the case.
MLA Sunil Kumar alleged that the government was protecting someone involved in the case.
As matters got out of hand, Speaker U.T. Khader intervened and told the BJP leaders that the matter was being investigated and if they wanted more information they could approach the Home Minister in his office.
Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, demanded that the government should answer on the state police department providing escort to Ranya Rao.
“Let them keep aside the investigation by the DRI and the CBI,” he said.
HM Parameshwara at this point stated that if there were any lapses on the part of the police department, it would be investigated.
Ranya Rao, an actress and stepdaughter of a serving senior IPS officer, a DGP, was arrested at the Bengaluru International Airport on last Monday for smuggling of gold.
(IANS)
