Bengaluru, May 17 -- The mother of Kannada film actor Ranya Rao, arrested in a high-profile gold smuggling case, has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking relief from a preventive detention order issued under the stringent Cofeposa Act.

HP Rohini, who filed the habeas corpus petition on Thursday, has asked the court to declare that any detention of her daughter under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act would be legally untenable. The matter came up for hearing before a vacation bench of Justices H P Sandesh and Ramachandra Huddar. "The Centre is expected to file its response when the case resumes on June 3," said an official in the know of the development.

Ranya Rao was taken into custod...