INDIA's financial crime fighting agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out searches at locations connected to the Gupta brothers of South Africa and their associates in a money laundering case.
The action followed a Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) received by India from South Africa in connection with the "state capture scam," reported PTI quoting sources.
The three brothers of Indian origin—Atul, Ajay, and Rajesh Gupta—are accused of siphoning off billions of rands in South Africa through their ties with former president Jacob Zuma. The brothers and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing.
The Guptas and their families moved to Dubai after Zuma was removed from office in 2018.
Searches were conducted at locations linked to the Gupta brothers, Piyoosh Goyal of World Window Group, and entities such as Sahara Computers and ITJ Retails Pvt Ltd.
ED sources told PTI they also searched premises of Ram Ratan Jagati in Ahmedabad, who was described as a "key person" in the money laundering network.
Jagati allegedly set up a shell company named JJ Trading FZE in Dubai, which was used by Piyoosh Goyal and the Gupta brothers for money laundering, according to the sources.
The Gupta brothers had shifted to South Africa after the fall of apartheid, building their business empire through Sahara Computers and later expanding into IT, media, and mining. Some of their assets in South Africa were recently auctioned by the government there.
(With inputs from agencies)
