Hawks say Ajay is back

AS FUGITIVE Ajay Gupta continued to evade arrest yesterday, the Hawks have insisted that contrary to various media reports there is no manhunt for his brother, Atul.

Late yesterday, Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that investigators were still in negotiations with a security company allegedly “protecting” Ajay Gupta.

In an interview with Power-FM, Mulaudzi said they knew Ajay was still in the country, despite officials at OR Tambo yesterday confirming they had records of the recently-declared fugitive on a flight to Dubai from 10 days ago.

However, Mulaudzi insisted the suspect had returned, and investigators were engaging with the security company assisting him.

The three Gupta brothers – Ajay, Atul and Rajesh, also known as Tony – have been accused of using their friendship with recently-ousted president Jacob Zuma to influence the appointment of cabinet ministers and to amass wealth.

They have denied any wrongdoing, as has Zuma.

Ajay Gupta was declared “a fugitive from justice” by South Africa’s chief prosecutor this week.

Meanwhile, forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan has offered a R100 000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Ajay Gupta. After Ajay was declared declared a fugitive from justice on Thursday, O’Sullivan sent out an alert to the media and Hawks head, Major General Prince Mokotedi, saying he would be willing to provide the money to ensure the interests of justice.

O’Sullivan said yesterday he believed the Gupta family had brought the country to its knees, and “now it’s payback time”. He blamed the family for his own arrest last year on a spurious charge. O’Sullivan was taken off an international flight in April 2016 for alleged incorrect use of his foreign passport, an alleged breach of the Citizenship Act of 1995. While O’Sullivan was later vindicated, he claims the arrest came just days after he sent an e-mail calling out politicians and government officials he believed were linked to the Gupta family.

O’Sullivan said that if anyone wished to provide his organisation, Forensics for Justice, a tipoff on the Guptas’ whereabouts, they could contact the toll-free hotline on 0800 118 118. On Thursday, South African police launched a search for Ajay after he failed to report to law enforcement officials investigating alleged high-level influence-peddling involving the Guptas.

The brothers face charges of fraud, money laundering and corruption emanating from investigations into the swindling of funds at Estina dairy farm project in Vrede, Free State, which was meant to benefit emerging farmers. Prosecutors last month called the project a “scheme designed to defraud and steal”.

Despite media reports on Thursday suggesting Atul Gupta had also tried to flee the country, Mulaudzi said there was no manhunt for him. He also said reports that a warrant of arrest had been issued for Atul were incorrect. “For what charges?” he asked. This week, eight people appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court in connection with an investigation into the Vrede dairy farm after the Hawks raided Gupta properties.

Gupta nephew and former Oakbay director Varun Gupta and former Oakbay chief executive Nazeem Howa were among them.