Bengaluru, Mar 18 (PTI) BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal was booked on Tuesday for his alleged derogatory remarks about Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was recently arrested in a gold smuggling case, police said.

Based on a complaint from Akula Anuradha, the case was registered at the High Grounds police station here under Section 79 (Word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Yatnal, they added.

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In the FIR, the complainant accused the MLA of using derogatory remarks about the actress while speaking to the media in Vijayapura on Monday.

Claiming that Rao is a multi-language actress and has respect in society, the complainant alleged in the FIR that Yatnal's remarks against the actress were “objectionable, vulgar, and disrespectful.”

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Harshavardhini Ranya, also known as Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of senior Karnataka IPS officer DGP K Ramachandra Rao, was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after authorities seized 14.2 kg of foreign-origin gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from her possession.

Following her arrest, a raid at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery valued at Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. Investigators suspect she was part of a larger smuggling network.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)