Hunt widens for Gupta brothers

JOHANNESBURG/CAPE TOWN: South Africa has widened a corruption probe into allies of ex-president Jacob Zuma to other countries including India, China and Dubai, the police minister said.

Fikile Mbalula’s announcement on Sunday came after South Africa issued an arrest warrant for one of the brothers of the Gupta business family, close associates of scandal-plagued Zuma who was forced from power last Wednesday. Mbalula told public broadcaster SABC that Ajay Gupta and another four people who are being sought in connection with the case were all out of the country.

While there was no indication that they fled the country fearing arrest, Mbalula vowed they will “be followed up” through Interpol with the possibility of extradition to face trial in South Africa.

He said two of the suspects were of Indian descent and one other was Chinese. All are thought to be in India, China or Dubai.

ATUL CHALLENGES FREEZING OF ASSETS

Atul Gupta, one of three Gupta brothers, is challenging a court order freezing 10 million rand ($859,025) in his bank account, according to court papers.

Prosecutors were authorised to freeze 220 million rand, including 10 million which they said was illegally transferred to Atul Gupta’s bank account, as part of an investigation into fraud at a state-backed dairy project in the Free State province.