Hawks probe claim Guptas said I do on R30m from fiscus

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks, is investigating allegations that public money to the tune of R30 million was used to fund the controversial Gupta wedding in 2013.

Acting Hawks head Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata confirmed yesterday at a meeting of the standing committee on finance that a team was investigating charges laid by DA shadow minster of finance David Maynier.

Maynier filed charges against Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Atul Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, Ronica Ragavan and Kamal Vasram with the police last month.

“This follows revelations that public funds, meant to assist the poor, were allegedly washed through a complex web of front companies and used to pay for Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia’s wedding at Sun City in 2013,” Maynier said in a statement.

The charges include racketeering, money laundering, assisting another to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities, acquiring, possessing or using the proceeds of unlawful activities in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (No. 121 of 1998); and submitting false, or untrue, tax returns in terms of the Tax Administration Act (No. 28 of 2011).

Earlier this year, it emerged via #GuptaLeaks e-mails that money to fund the lavish wedding was diverted from the Free State agriculture department and was originally intended to be used to partially fund a dairy farm project.