Trouble for infamous ‘Gupta brother of South Africa fame’ increasing, police seeks help from ED as black Ink thrown on them in court

Trouble for infamous ‘Gupta brother of South Africa fame’ increasing, police seeks help from ED as black Ink thrown on them in court

S.M.A.KAZMI

Dehradun , June 1

The trouble for infamous ‘Gupta brothers of South Africa fame’ seems to be increasing as black ink was thrown on them while they were being taken to a local court here today under police escort. On the other hand, Dehradun police has sought help from Enforcement Directorate (ED) for a probe into allegedly shell companies being run by Guptas’.

Ajay Gupta, the eldest of the Gupta brother and his brother-in-law Anil Gupta  were arrested by the Dehradun police under section 306 of IPC for abetment to suicide of their business partner Satender Singh Sahni. The police had added some more sections in the First information report (FIR) registered against them and were taken to court today for remand proceedings.

While, the police took them out of their vehicle in the court premises members of the Suraj Sena started shouted slogans against them and threw black ink on them. The agitated members of the Suraj Sena demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the activities of Gupta brothers.

Satender Singh Sahni, a known builder and partner of Gupta brothers had committed suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of a building in Pacific Glof area of Dehradun on Friday morning. Before committing suicide, Satender Singh Sahni also known as Baba Sahni in his suicide notes addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had charged his business partners namely Anil Gupta and Ajay Gupta of black mailing, threatening him and lodging false cases against him in Uttar Pradesh in a bid to force him to quit his partnership in their favour. The Saharanpur police had been pressurising Sahni to appear leading to tremendous mental harassment. On the complaint of Ranvir singh Sahni, son of the deceased, the alleged accused were arrested.

Earlier on May 30, Dehradun Police had raided the palatial houses of  Gupta brothers in Dalanwala area of Dehradun and took away electronic evidence, documents, DVR of the CCTV footage from there. The Dehradun police has also written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials to investigate the companies through which Gupta’s have invested money in Dehradun.  Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh said that the police is also investigating the documents of these investments. According to police officers, the deceased was called to Gupta residence and threatened. The deceased Satender Singh Sahni had also written to the ED on May 14, 2024 raising doubts about the investment through shell companies by Guptas.

Dehradun police in it’s investigation also found that Gupta’s have six cases of fraud and other criminal activities pending against them in their native Saharanpur district.

The bail application of the alleged accused Ajay Gupta, the eldest of the Gupta brother and his brother-in-law Anil Gupta were rejected by the local court and they were sent to judicial custody of 14 days. Anil Kumar Gupta is married to sister of Ajay Gupta.

The South African officials are also reportedly in touch with their Indian counter parts following reports of the arrest of two Gupta brothers there, one of whom is wanted in South Africa  for allegedly looting billions from state-owned enterprises. The three Gupta brothers hailing from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh have been accused of plundering billions of rands in South Africa through their close association with former South African President Jacob Zuma. The three brother along with their families fled to Dubai after president Zuma was removed from presidency in 2018.  In 2023, the UAE reportedly refused the request for the extradition of Rajesh and Atul following which South Africa declared them as fugitives. The brothers had built a vast empire in the IT, media, and mining sectors in south Africa.

Gupta’s who had migrated to South Africa in 1993 from Saharanpur had a  vast business empire. The deposed President Jacob Zuma and his family members had close business links with son and wife of President serving on the companies owned by Guptas. President Jacob Zuma had to resign following allegedly corrupt deals involving Gupta companies. The President faced pressure from his own party African National Congress (ANC) to quit on the issue.

Guptas were provided security during the previous Congress regime which was upgraded to Z category on June 16, 2017 with the advent of BJP government in the state.  The Gupta’s have been provided security on payment basis for which they have paid in advance.

Guptas were provided security during the previous Congress regime which was upgraded to Z category on June 16, 2017 with the advent of BJP government in the state.  The Gupta’s have been provided security on payment basis for which they have paid in advance.

Two of the Gupta brothers were also detained by Haridwar police in 2015 for two hours when their helicopter landed in Haridwar without prior permission. The Gupta brothers also courted controversy when the aeroplane carrying their guests from India to attend a family wedding was allowed to land at an South African airforce air base near Johannesburg. The then President Jacob Zuma  had to face the opposition onslaught on the issue. Finally after the removal of Jacob Zuma they left South Africa.

The Gupta brothers again courted controversy and were in news again in 2019 for holding a wedding celebrations of their sons at the world famous skiing resort of Auli in Chamoli district at an altitude of 12,000 feet from June 18 to 22, 2019. It is estimated that the wedding  cost Rs 200 crores. A VIP tented colony was set up at the Auli meadow.