Smt. Harshavardini Ranya Vs Senior Intelligence Officer (Karnataka High Court)
Karnataka High Court held that grant of bail to Smt. Harshavardini Ranya, involved in gold smuggling case, cannot be entertained. Accordingly, petition dismissed.
Facts- On the basis of the credible information received, on 03.03.2025 accused no.1 was intercepted. In the hand baggage of accused no.1, no incriminating material was found. Thereafter, the person of accused no.1 was searched by a gazetted lady customs officer and from the person of accused no.1 gold bars totally weighing 14,213.05 grams valued at about Rs.12,56,43,3 62/- was recovered, which accused no.1 had concealed inside her dress by sticking the gold bars to her body parts with help of medical adhesive bandage.
The seized contraband articles were subjected to panchanama, and thereafter, accused no.1 was arrested on 04.03.2025. Accused no.2 was arrested on 09.03.2025 and subsequently accused nos.1 & 2 were remanded to judicial custody. Bail application filed by accused nos.1 & 2 before the Court of judicial Magistrate was rejected. Therefore, they had filed the application before the jurisdictional Sessions Court, which were rejected on 27.03.2025 & 07.04.2025, respectively. It is under these circumstances, accused nos.1 & 2 are before this Court.
Conclusion- Unlike conventional crimes which affect individuals or specific groups, economic offences have potentiality to threaten the stability of national economy. Economic offences are grave and they always pose a threat to the health of the economy of the country. The modus operandi of the accused, the number of their visits to Dubai and filing false declaration in Dubai customs on all such visits by accused to Dubai, raises a serious doubt that in all the earlier visits also chances of gold smuggling cannot be ruled out.
