On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India upheld the preventive detention of Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya Rao and her associate Sahil Jain under the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act (COFEPOSA) due to their alleged involvement in a gold smuggling case. The court dismissed a petition from their family members seeking their release, affirming that there was sufficient evidence to justify the detention and that releasing them could lead to further illegal activities. The bench, consisting of Justices MM Sundresh and NK Singh, noted that there was no violation of Article 22 of the Indian Constitution, which protects citizens against unlawful detention. They also rejected claims that the accused were denied effective legal representation, stating that substantial compliance with procedural requirements was adequate. Rao was apprehended at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, on March 3, 2025, while attempting to smuggle approximately 14 kg of gold bars from Dubai. Jain is implicated in facilitating the disposal of foreign-marked gold on multiple occasions prior to their arrest.