Bengaluru: The Karnataka high court has stayed the provisional attachment order issued by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) concerning the properties of actor Ranya Harshavardini (Ranya Rao).The Sept 10 order was passed in connection with an ongoing gold smuggling case, in which the actor is currently under detention under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (Cofeposa).Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum also directed ED to respond to the notice issued as part of the proceedings. The petitioner challenged ED’s attachment order dated July 4, which was issued under section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.The petition argued that the properties being attached include assets acquired before the alleged offence took place in 2025. The petitioner’s counsel cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in Pavana Dibbur vs ED, which stated that properties acquired prior to an offence cannot be attached.The court observed: “Prima facie, this court finds that the impugned attachment, insofar as it covers properties acquired before the commission of the alleged predicate offence, is without jurisdiction. The matter, therefore, requires consideration in the light of the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the Pavana Dibbur case.”Justice Magadum stayed the provisional attachment order until the next hearing. Ranya, named accused no.1 in the case, was apprehended on March 3, after authorities received information that she was carrying smuggled gold.A subsequent search led to the recovery of 14.2kg of gold, valued at more than Rs 12.5 crore. The gold was concealed on her waist and calf muscles using crepe bandages and tissue material.The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) also informed the court that from 2023 onwards, the accused and an associate travelled to and from Dubai 34 times, raising suspicions of repeated involvement in smuggling activities.The case is now pending further hearings, with the court’s interim order providing temporary relief from the ED’s attachment.
