Bengaluru, Mar 11 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, on Tuesday said that rejecting reports about two ministers having links to the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao even before the investigation is completed is an attempt to influence the probe.

The BJP leader was reacting to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's statement on Monday rejecting reports linking ministers with the gold smuggling case, calling them 'political gossip'.

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"Investigating agency should say whether the involvement (of two ministers) is there or not. Even before the probe, if clean-chit is given, what value will the investigation agency have? Is a message being sent to the investigating agency to give a clean-chit?" Ashok asked.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "There are reports in the media about two ministers' involvement. People believe such things. The CBI is also investigating the case, and the state government has also ordered a probe. Even before the investigation if a clean-chit is given, this shows how the Congress runs the administration."

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"...whether there is any wrongdoing (on the part of ministers) or not, should be said by the investigating agency. Even before that, if the government says such things, it looks like an attempt to influence the investigation," he added.

Ranya Rao, 34, was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, and gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her.

The next day, the DRI said it seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of K Ramachandra Rao, a DGP-ranked police officer presently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in this case.

The Karnataka government has appointed Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta to probe the role of Ramachandra Rao, if any, in the alleged gold smuggling activity of his step daughter.

The government also ordered a CID investigation into alleged lapses and dereliction of duty of police officers at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Bengaluru.

Ranya is accused of smuggling gold, allegedly misusing protocol privileges.

(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)