Gold smuggling case: Actor Tarun Konduru's mother moves Karnataka HC against his detention under Cofeposa law
Rama Rao, the mother of Tarun Konduru alias Virat Konduru, 36, moved the court with a habeas corpus petition last week after a judicial advisory board – which reviews detentions under the Cofeposa law – upheld an April 22 detention order of the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau under the Union Ministry of Finance. Rama has sought an order from the high court declaring the April 22 detention order 'illegal and void.'
In May, a special court for economic offences had granted statutory bail to the actor and sureties were posted by the family for his release, but the Cofeposa detention has prevented it. Tarun has been lodged in a Bengaluru prison since March.
Tarun, who is the son of a prominent Bengaluru businessman, was arrested on March 9 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after he was found to be linked to Kannada actress Ranya Rao alias Harshavardini Ranya, 33. The actress was arrested from Bengaluru airport on March 4 while smuggling 14.2 kg of gold worth Rs 12.56 crore from Dubai.
Ranya, Konduru and a hawala agent Sahil Jain are alleged to have been part of a large racket which smuggled nearly 100 kg of gold into India within a span of 18 months. All three were detained under the Cofeposa law in April.
Ranya's mother had approached the high court on May 12 with a habeas corpus petition for her release from Cofeposa detention. The plea is likely to be heard this week.
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