India, March 10 -- Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya - also known as Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai - was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous Karnataka government in February 2023, said the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) said on Sunday.

Ranya Rao was found to be in possession of gold bars worth Rs.12.56 crore at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Searches were also conducted at her residence, and gold jewellery worth Rs.2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs.2.67 crore were seized, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had said on Wednesday.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao.

The KIADB's statement comes after repo...