Indian origin businessmen, Gupta Brothers, accused of corruption in South Africa, have been arrested in the United Arab Emirates. The South African government said on Monday that law enforcement officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrested Rajesh Gupta and Atul Gupta of the Gupta family. Interpol had issued a red corner notice against both of them.
The South African government is trying to extradite both the brothers. The Gupta brothers had gone to South Africa from Saharanpur about 24 years ago in search of a business opportunity. Slowly their business spread and they became one of the top ten wealthy business families of South Africa.
Read | DNA Explainer: What led to unrest in South Africa and role of Gupta brothers
The Gupta brothers have always been accused of being close to the former South African President Jacob Zuma and pursuing their business for political gains. The Gupta brothers misappropriated huge amount of public money, including diverting millions of rands to enrich the now defunct The New Age newspaper, according to a probe report on corruption during Zuma's tenure from 2009 to 2018.
Originally from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, three Gupta brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh had started TNA, which has since been closed. These three brothers were living in Dubai. South African authorities have requested his extradition so that criminal charges against them can be initiated.
How the atmosphere created against the Gupta Brothers?
South Africa's Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas claimed, about five years ago, that it was the Gupta Brothers who had assured him of replacing Nhlanhla Nene, the then Finance Minister. After this, the Jacob Zuma government got into trouble. The wind started blowing against the Gupta Brothers in the country.
Similar allegations have been made against Ajay Gupta in the past as well. In 2010, he had assured to make an MP a minister. The Gupta family has been accused of making arbitrary recruitments within the government for business interests in South Africa.
What are the other allegations against Jacob Zuma?
Among the many allegations of financial corruption against them, the main allegation is that apart from helping the Gupta brothers in an unrestrained way, there is a scam of millions of dollars in the public exchequer for the beautification of his private house.
He survived when impeachment was brought against him in Parliament, but now his party has finally succeeded in removing him from office. There is so much anger among the general public about the Gupta family along with Zuma that slogans of 'Gupta must fall' are being raised on the streets of Johannesburg.
