Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Suicide case: India denies bail to South African businessman Ajay Gupta

Suicide case: India denies bail to South African businessman Ajay Gupta

An Indian court has denied bail to Ajay Gupta, a member of the Gupta family linked to significant corruption in South Africa, in a case related to the alleged suicide abetment of a businessman.

The Gupta brothers—Atul, Ajay, and Rajesh—originally from India, established a large business empire in South Africa after moving there in 1993 during the country's post-apartheid economic opening.


Ajay Gupta, 58, and another family member, Anil Gupta, were arrested in Dehradun, Uttarakhand's capital, last month.

The case involves the death of Satinder Singh Sawhney, a 52-year-old building developer associated with the Guptas on housing projects.

Sawhney's body was discovered at the base of an apartment block on May 24.

Sawhney's son stated that a suicide note left by his father accused the two men of making threats against him.

The Times of India quoted Girish Pancholi, director of prosecution, saying Sawhney accused Ajay and Anil Gupta of forcing him to commit suicide through false charges.

Ajay and Anil Gupta were detained the next day, and their bail application was denied on Friday, according to an order from Dehradun's district court.

"Anil Gupta and Ajay Gupta can approach the high court, but the case is so serious that it will be difficult for them to secure bail," government lawyer Guru Prasad Raturi told AFP on Sunday.

In 2018, South African investigators alleged that the Guptas collaborated with ex-president Jacob Zuma to embezzle state assets, costing several billion dollars by some estimates.

Atul and Rajesh Gupta fled to the United Arab Emirates. Last year, a Dubai court denied their extradition to Pretoria on a technicality.

Ajay was declared a fugitive in 2018, but South African authorities dropped the charges against him the following year.

Chrispin Phiri, a spokesperson for the South African justice ministry, told AFP on Sunday that Ajay was not subject to an Interpol Red Notice, unlike his younger brothers.

"Our Red Notice was for Atul and Rajesh Gupta. While Ajay is indeed one of the Gupta brothers, he was not listed on the Red Notice sent to Interpol," he said, adding that Atul and Rajesh were last reported to be in the UAE.

"If they move to any other country under Interpol's jurisdiction, Interpol is obliged to inform us and the 'host' nation."

Jacob Zuma was forced out as president and leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in 2018 amid corruption allegations. However, this month Zuma won nearly 15 percent of the vote in general elections, leading the recently formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which helped strip the ANC of its three-decade-old absolute majority.

(AFP)

More For You

ve-day-getty

VE Day 80 street parties, picnics and community get togethers are being encouraged to take place across the country as part of the Great British Food Festival. (Photo: Getty Images)

Public invited to attend VE Day 80 procession and flypast

THE 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day will be marked with a military procession in London on May 5.

The event will include over 1,300 members of the Armed Forces, youth groups, and uniformed services marching from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Knife crimes

Knife-enabled crimes include cases where a blade or sharp instrument was used to injure or threaten, including where the weapon was not actually seen.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Knife crime in London accounts for a third of national total: ONS

KNIFE-RELATED crime in London made up almost a third of all such offences recorded in England and Wales in 2024, with the Metropolitan Police logging 16,789 incidents, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.

This amounts to one offence every 30 minutes in the capital and represents 31 per cent of the 54,587 knife-enabled crimes reported across England and Wales last year. The total number marks a two per cent rise from 53,413 offences in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer and Modi

Starmer and Modi shake hands during a bilateral meeting in the sidelines of the G20 summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil, on November 18, 2024.

Getty Images

Starmer calls Modi over Kashmir attack; expresses condolences

PRIME MINISER Keir Starmer spoke to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning following the deadly attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that killed 26 people on Tuesday.

According to a readout from 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he was horrified by the devastating terrorist attack and expressed deep condolences on behalf of the British people to those affected, their loved ones, and the people of India. The two leaders agreed to stay in touch.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Post Office Horizon

A Post Office van parked outside the venue for the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry at Aldwych House on January 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Post Office spent £600m to keep Horizon despite plans to replace it: Report

THE POST OFFICE has spent more than £600 million of public funds to continue using the Horizon IT system, according to a news report.

Despite deciding over a decade ago to move away from the software, the original 1999 contract with Fujitsu prevented the Post Office from doing so, as it did not own the core software code, a BBC investigation shows.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pahalgam attack: Prayer meet held at Indian mission in London

The prayer meet was led by Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami

Pahalgam attack: Prayer meet held at Indian mission in London

Mahesh Liloriya

A PRAYER meet was held at the Gandhi Hall in the High Commission of India in London on Thursday (24) to pay respects to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ rang out at the event which was led by Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami.

Keep ReadingShow less