The Karnataka government has ordered an investigation into alleged protocol violations in the gold smuggling case. The probe will be led by Karnataka’s Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, who has been instructed to submit his report within a week. The controversy erupted following claims that Ranya Rao misused VIP courtesy services at the airport to evade security checks and engage in illegal activities. Reports suggest that Rao, the stepdaughter of DGP K Ramachandra Rao, leveraged her connections to smuggle gold from Dubai to Bengaluru. The investigation will focus on how these privileges were availed, whether proper protocols were followed, and if senior IPS officer had any direct or indirect role in facilitating the alleged smuggling. She was initially remanded to DRI custody until March 10, with the Economic Offences Court allowing her to meet her lawyer for half an hour daily during this period. The court, presided over by Justice Vishwanath C Gowdar, directed the DRI to ensure Rao was provided with essentials like food and a bed and cautioned officials against any harsh treatment during questioning. During interrogation, she maintained that her Dubai trip was for business purposes, but investigators suspect her travel was linked to an organized gold smuggling operation. The case came to light on March 3, when she was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold.