Not a VIP, how did Ranya Rao dodge frisking at Bengaluru airport multiple times?

The arrest of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya alias Ranya Rao in a gold smuggling case has triggered a political storm in Bengaluru. On March 3, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 14.2 kgs of gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport when she arrived from Dubai. Subsequent searches conducted by the agency at her residence led to the recovery of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency notes amounting to Rs 2.67 crore. A preliminary probe reveals that Ranya had managed to evade security checks at the airport multiple times in the past, using the influence of her stepfather, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. This appears to be a clear violation of norms as IPS officers and their relatives don’t figure in the list of VIPs who are exempt from the pre-embarkation security check at airports in India.The Karnataka government has now directed Ranya’s stepfather K Ramachandra Rao, an officer of the rank of director general of police (DGP) and currently posted as the chairman and managing director of Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, to go on “compulsory leave”. medium119168282How did she dodge airport frisking? Initial investigations have revealed that Ranya often used her father’s name to evade security checks at the airport. The actress was reportedly being escorted by a police constable deployed for protocol services extended to IPS officers when she was intercepted by DRI personnel on March 3. The constable, during questioning, revealed that there were “standing instructions” to receive Ranya whenever she returned from her foreign trips and that he had no idea of gold being smuggled in.She is under the scanner because of her frequent travel to Dubai. She allegedly made 30 trips to Dubai in the past year alone.Her stepfather was questioned on March 17 in connection with the case. His statement was recorded by an investigating team led by Karnataka’s additional chief secretary Gaurav Gupta, according to news agency PTI.“The report is likely to be submitted to the Karnataka government within the next two days,” a source said.Besides DRI, the Enforcement Directorate and CBI are probing the case simultaneously.medium nocaption119169138Who all are exempt for security checks?The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the nodal agency tasked with overseeing security at airports, prepares and updates the list of the VIPs who are spared security checks on “the advice” of the Union home ministry. The external affairs ministry issues another list of foreign dignitaries such as heads of state and high-ranking diplomats to the BCAS. They too will not be liable to security checks.The list of 30 VIPs includes: President; Vice President; Prime Minister; Governors, Lieutenant Governors (LGs), former presidents, ex-VPs and ex-PMs, Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court judges, Union ministers of cabinet and state rank, chief ministers and deputy CMs, leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Bharat Ratna awardees, Ambassadors of foreign countries, the Dalai Lama and those with Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover.How did Robert Vadra lose this privilege?In 2015, the central government dropped Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, from the list of people exempted from frisking and security checks at airports.The decision to remove Vadra’s name from the list came after the approval of the Union home ministry, which had reviewed threat perception of different categories of VIPs.A few years later, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka also lost this privilege after the government withdrew their Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover. SPG is tasked with providing proximate security to the PM, former PMs and their immediate family members. With SPG protection, these three top Congress leaders and Robert Vadra (only when flying with wife Priyanka) had enjoyed VIP privileges at airports earlier.The Gandhis now have been given Z-plus category protection by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a category which is not exempt from airport security checks.Additionally, the government in 2019 modified tarmac access rules, thus barring former chief ministers and some VIPs from driving right up to the tarmac and boarding the aircraft, in their home states.Not in sync with global norms?It appears India’s VIP security protocols do not conform to the global norms laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. From a security standpoint, a key loophole in the Indian norms is the exemption from screening at airports extended to VIPs and their baggage.According to ICAO, “VIPs should be screened in a special area reserved for them. All VIPs, with the exception of Heads of State, should undergo screening”.In many developed countries, ministers and bureaucrats carry their own bags. In the US particularly, the list of VIP officials is small. Dignitaries such as president, vice-president, chief of the Central Intelligence Agency and the likes are not permitted to fly commercial and they utilize government aircraft for all travel. For those who hate frisking (pat-downs in American airport security parlance), the US has introduced a programme called ‘Global Entry’ that allows expedited clearance for “pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival” in the country. It costs $100 for five years.medium nocaption119169158The bane of VIP cultureAn online survey has revealed that VIP culture persists despite the government’s measures to reduce this unfair practice. From hospitals to roads, airports, schools and colleges, places of worship to even jails, there seems to be no place where VIPs, barring some exceptions, are not enjoying special privileges. Of the total 8,881 responses, 64% believe that the VIP culture has not reduced in India, according to the poll conducted by LocalCircles in November 2024.In May 2017, the Centre banned the use of red beacons on vehicles in an attempt to curb the VIP culture. Referring to this move, PM Narendra Modi said the word 'VIP' must be replaced by ‘EPI’ -- every person is important.Most recently, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said at an event in Karnataka, “VIP culture is an aberration, it is an incursion when viewed through the anvil of equality. It should have no place in society, much less in religious places. The very idea of VIP darshan militates against divinity. It should be dispensed with.”With inputs from agencies