Warrant of arrest for Atul Gupta
US, Britain help Guptas probe
As the Hawks swooped on the Guptas’ Saxonwold, Johannesburg, compound yesterday morning seeking high-profile suspects they found instead a “warm bed” – a sign that someone had awoken and fled.
Sowetan’s sister publication Times Select now understands from two senior officials in the security cluster that the Hawks have issued a warrant for Atul Gupta, thought to have evaded them in yesterday’s raids.
The raids resulted in four arrests – including other Gupta family members and several business associates.
It is understood the Hawks are also seeking assistance to extradite some of the Gupta family members and their associates who are thought to be overseas.
Other governments have been quietly assisting South African investigators.
The Guptas and their associates are being sought for charges relating to corruption, money laundering, the acquisition and possession of pro- ceeds of unlawful activities in the R220-million siphoned off in the Free State government Vrede Dairy farm project meant for poor farmers.
“They [Hawks] found a warm bed when they got into the house. That one is being sought after. He is a fugitive,” said one senior official.
Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the raids were part of the larger state capture investigation.
“We are not playing around. We take this investigation very seriously‚” Mulaudzi said.
A police source with knowledge of the operation said officers had been searching for specific documentation and electronic devices.
A separate Hawks source said they had carried out other raids away from the media spotlight which had yielded good results.
“You wouldn’t believe the size of the compound. It’s like a rabbit warren.
“Dozens of rooms‚ nooks and crannies.
It is going to be a long process to find what we are looking for.”
Times Select understands the arrests were supposed to have been executed last week Friday and Saturday but discussions about warning statements, arrest and search warrants between the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) held back the process.
It is understood about 17 individuals are now facing arrest and these include Atul – who scored R10-million cash from the dairy project through an entity called Estina, with Kamal Vasram as the sole director, which ran the project.
Vasram who was previously employed by the Guptas later liquidated the firm last year.
NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said they could not comment in detail on the discussions that took place before the raids and would only do so once the accused have appeared in court.
On Wednesday the Hawks confirmed that a number of individuals linked to the Guptas and their companies in relation to the Vrede Farm investigations will appear in the Bloemfontein Commercial Crimes Court today.
A US embassy source said that American and British government officials had been helping South African law enforcement authorities in the “soft monitoring” of the suspects and were specifically providing information on the movement of assets, cash and people.