The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said the charges were brought against the brothers after Nulane Investments Director, Iqbal Sharma allegedly received a R25m tender to complete a feasibility survey on the Estina Dairy project in the Free State.
Advocate Stefanie Fick, Outa's executive director: accountability division, said the survey was outsourced to Deloitte for R1,5m and R21m was then paid over to Islandsite Investments - a company in which Atul and Rajesh Gupta and their wives were directors.
"While the arrests have been confirmed by the Office of the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), we hope that South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will cooperate to expedite the Guptas’ extradition so that they can stand trial," said Fick.
“We've always said that fighting corruption in SA requires resilience. That if the rule of law is allowed to take its course, those implicated will eventually get their day in court. It seems like that day is around the corner for the Gupta kingpins,” said Fick.
“This is a major step forward in the prosecution of state capture culprits.”
State capture 'engineers' Rajesh and Atul Gupta arrested
Image: MARTIN RHODES
Fugitives of justice Rajesh and Atul Gupta have been arrested.
This was confirmed by the ministry of justice and correctional services on Monday.
"The ministry of justice and correctional services confirms that it has received information from law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates that fugitives of justice, namely, Rajesh and Atul Gupta, have been arrested," said ministry's spokesperson Chrispin Phiri in a media statement issued out on Monday evening.
"Discussions between various law enforcement agencies in the UAE and SA on the way forward are ongoing. The SA government will continue to co-operate with the UAE," he said.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa welcomed the arrests, describing it as a breakthrough. "How I wish the arrests could have happened earlier so that they could have been given a chance to answer for themselves [at the Zondo commission of inquiry]."
He added that the arrests were going to make things easier for National Prosecuting Authority to move with speed arrest those suspected of stealing money [with the Guptas]."
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse said the charges were brought against the brothers after Nulane Investments Director, Iqbal Sharma allegedly received a R25m tender to complete a feasibility survey on the Estina Dairy project in the Free State.
Advocate Stefanie Fick, Outa's executive director: accountability division, said the survey was outsourced to Deloitte for R1,5m and R21m was then paid over to Islandsite Investments - a company in which Atul and Rajesh Gupta and their wives were directors.
"While the arrests have been confirmed by the Office of the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), we hope that South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will cooperate to expedite the Guptas’ extradition so that they can stand trial," said Fick.
“We've always said that fighting corruption in SA requires resilience. That if the rule of law is allowed to take its course, those implicated will eventually get their day in court. It seems like that day is around the corner for the Gupta kingpins,” said Fick.
“This is a major step forward in the prosecution of state capture culprits.”
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