Kabelo Tlhabanelo
The National Prosecuting Authority has called on Interpol to assist with the execution of arrest warrants for the Gupta brothers and their wives.
This could see the arrests of Atul, his wife, Chetali; and Rajesh and his wife, Arti who are reported to be in Dubai after fleeing the country in 2018.
A warrant is also out for the Gupta business associates Ankit Jain, former Nulane Investment Bank of Baroda account signatory; Ravindra Nath, director of Wone Management (Pty) Ltd; and Ramesh Bhat and Jagdish Parekh, the directors of Pragat Investments (Pty) Ltd.
This is in relation to the R25 million spent on a feasibility study to determine the viability of the failed Estina dairy farm in the Free State.
On Thursday, a Gupta associate and three former Free State State government officials appeared before Bloemfontein magistrate Estelle de Lange on charges of fraud amounting to R24 million.
Businessman Iqbal Sharma, former Free State head of Department for Rural Development Peter Thabethe, former head of Free State Agriculture department and current Bloem Water CEO Limakatso Moorosi and Free State Agriculture’s former CFO Seipati Dhlamini stand accused of procurement fraud involving the Estina Farm.
The four were arrested on Wednesday and appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
With shackles on their ankles, one by one walking slowly, the suspects appeared from the basement holding cells.
The Provincial Agriculture department paid the money to Nulane Investment 204 (PTY) LTD, a company owned and controlled by Sharma, a Gupta friend.
From there, the funds were diverted to Islandsite Investments 180 (Pty) Ltd (Islandsite), a company owned and controlled by the Gupta family.
According to NPA spokeswoman Sindisiwe Seboka, the modus operandi used in this case appears to have been replicated in other government departments and projects.
“It is therefore critical that the evidence gathered in this matter is presented to court and a verdict obtained expeditiously.
“It is for this reason that prosecutors have decided to proceed separately against the accused currently in the country and those abroad, as the process of arrest and extradition may unduly delay the trial,” said Seboka.
Thabethe and Sharma will be spending the weekend behind bars as their formal bail application was set for Monday 7 June.
Bail of R10,000 each was granted to Moorosi and Dhlamini.
