Advertisement

Gupta brothers placed on Interpol Red List

Tuesday July 06 2021
Atul Gupta.

Atul Gupta (pictured), his brother Rajesh, and their wives are wanted in South Africa to stand trial for alleged fraud and money laundering. PHOTO | COURTESY

By PETER DUBE

Jacob Zuma’s alleged associates in a corruption scandal, the Gupta brothers, have been placed on Interpol red notices as the net continues to close in on them.

Atul Gupta, his brother Rajesh, and their wives are wanted in South Africa to stand trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to $1.8 million relating to the failed Estina Dairy Project.

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) managed to have the global policing authority issue the red notices on the Guptas who are believed to be hiding in the United Arab Emirates.

Their business activities have also been reported in their native India and Uzbekistan.

They fled South Africa and have been refusing to hand themselves in to face trial.

“Interpol has issued red notices against Atul Gupta and his wife, Chetali; Rajesh Gupta and his wife, Arti; Ankit Jain, former Nulane Investment Bank of Baroda account signatory; Ravindra Nath, director of Wone Management; [and] Ramesh Bhat and Jagdish Parekh, the directors of Pragat Investments,” the NPA’s Investigative Directorate head Hermione Cronje said.

Advertisement

The development comes just less than a month after the United Arab Emirates ratified an extradition treaty with South Africa in what paved the way for the Guptas to be brought to South Africa to face trial.

Red notices will be used to support the extradition request locating and provisionally arresting the Gupta brothers and their associates pending extradition.

They are different from an international warrant of arrest but alerts have been sent to all Interpol member states that the Guptas are wanted fugitives.

Recently, the Guptas were placed on the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption regime which will see them being prohibited from channelling their money through UK banks, have their bank accounts and assets in the UK frozen while also being banned from entering that territory.

The Interpol red notices come at a time when their alleged main associate, South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma, is embroiled in court cases fighting against a 15-month jail sentence.

Mr Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court after refusing to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture.

The State Capture Inquiry is investigating the Guptas’ alleged links with Mr Zuma to secure deals to loot state-owned companies.

The India-born brothers are also alleged to have wielded unlimited influence on cabinet selection as well as appointments to boards of state-owned enterprises.

Although the Guptas have denied having a corrupt relationship with Mr Zuma, the former President’s name has prominently been mentioned by over 200 witnesses presenting evidence before the Commission, heavily linking him to the Indian family.

An estimated $84 billion in public funds is believed to have been extracted from South Africa by key patronage networks between 2011 and 2017.

Interestingly, Atul attempted to secure a new South African passport recently but his efforts were rebuffed.

“I am advised and respectfully submit that our courts have held for nearly a century that a fugitive from justice has no standing to approach a South African court,” wrote Home Affairs Director-General Livhuwani Tommy Makhode in an affidavit.

Advertisement