The Gupta brothers reported to have been arrested in India are not the ones the South African government has obtained warrants of arrest for.
This was clarified on Saturday by justice minister Ronald Lamola during a short media briefing at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg during the ANC's Siyanqoba rally.
“There are media reports indicating the arrest of Gupta family members in India. We want to clarify that for the world. According to the information at our disposal verified by our high commissioner in India the Gupta family members that have been arrested are not the ones in the warrant of arrest as issued by South Africa and as per the red notice issued by Interpol ... It is not Ajay and Atul Gupta that have been arrested.
“We also want to confirm that the red notice of Interpol is still valid across the globe. Wherever they [Gupta brothers] are in the world, every state has a duty to arrest them,” said Lamola.
SowetanLIVE's sister publication, TimesLIVE, quoting reports from India, reported earlier on Saturday that two Gupta brothers — named as Ajay and Anil — had been arrested on Friday on charges of abetting the suicide of prominent Dehrandun-based builder Satinder Singh Sahni, 52.
According to the Indian news reports, this was after the prominent builder named them in a suicide note.
Sahni allegedly jumped off the terrace of a seven-floor apartment complex on Friday morning.
Lamola said the South African government's warrant of arrest is still active and the Guptas remain wanted fugitives.
“The Guptas that were arrested in India were arrested in connection with what they did there. For us as South Africa, what is important is that the two Gupta brothers who are fugitives of law in South Africa, Ajay and Atul Gupta, it is not them who were arrested,” he said.
The Gupta family wielded significant political influence during the years that Jacob Zuma was president of South Africa, infamously landing a commercial jet full of wedding guests at Waterkloof Air Force Base.
The brothers were allegedly the architects and beneficiaries of widespread looting of government coffers and state-owned entities during the tenure of Zuma.
Lamola said he was happy with Friday's decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel.
“This is a victory for international rule of law and for world order ... This is now in the collective conscience of the international community to exert the necessary pressure, the UN bodies including the friends of Israel to put the pressure for them to abide by international law,” Lamola said.
The ICJ has issued a legally-binding order for Israel to halt its invasion of Rafah. The court further called on Israel to end its operation in Rafah, the southernmost town in Gaza.
TimesLIVE
Gupta brothers arrested in India are not Ajay and Atul: Lamola
The Gupta brothers are still on the loose and wanted by Interpol
Image: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
The Gupta brothers reported to have been arrested in India are not the ones the South African government has obtained warrants of arrest for.
This was clarified on Saturday by justice minister Ronald Lamola during a short media briefing at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg during the ANC's Siyanqoba rally.
“There are media reports indicating the arrest of Gupta family members in India. We want to clarify that for the world. According to the information at our disposal verified by our high commissioner in India the Gupta family members that have been arrested are not the ones in the warrant of arrest as issued by South Africa and as per the red notice issued by Interpol ... It is not Ajay and Atul Gupta that have been arrested.
“We also want to confirm that the red notice of Interpol is still valid across the globe. Wherever they [Gupta brothers] are in the world, every state has a duty to arrest them,” said Lamola.
SowetanLIVE's sister publication, TimesLIVE, quoting reports from India, reported earlier on Saturday that two Gupta brothers — named as Ajay and Anil — had been arrested on Friday on charges of abetting the suicide of prominent Dehrandun-based builder Satinder Singh Sahni, 52.
According to the Indian news reports, this was after the prominent builder named them in a suicide note.
Sahni allegedly jumped off the terrace of a seven-floor apartment complex on Friday morning.
Lamola said the South African government's warrant of arrest is still active and the Guptas remain wanted fugitives.
“The Guptas that were arrested in India were arrested in connection with what they did there. For us as South Africa, what is important is that the two Gupta brothers who are fugitives of law in South Africa, Ajay and Atul Gupta, it is not them who were arrested,” he said.
The Gupta family wielded significant political influence during the years that Jacob Zuma was president of South Africa, infamously landing a commercial jet full of wedding guests at Waterkloof Air Force Base.
The brothers were allegedly the architects and beneficiaries of widespread looting of government coffers and state-owned entities during the tenure of Zuma.
Lamola said he was happy with Friday's decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel.
“This is a victory for international rule of law and for world order ... This is now in the collective conscience of the international community to exert the necessary pressure, the UN bodies including the friends of Israel to put the pressure for them to abide by international law,” Lamola said.
The ICJ has issued a legally-binding order for Israel to halt its invasion of Rafah. The court further called on Israel to end its operation in Rafah, the southernmost town in Gaza.
TimesLIVE
Two Gupta brothers reportedly arrested in India for 'abetting' suicide of prominent builder
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