Gupta Home In India Raided – Reports

NEW DELHI. – Indian media yesterday reported that there has been a massive raid on Gupta businesses and properties by the country’s tax authorities. According to News24, articles translated from Hindi on the website Jagran.com give details about a multidisciplinary task team led by India’s income tax department, which raided the Gupta’s home in Saharanpur – although no members of the family were there – as well as the office of Ajay Gupta’s accountant.

The Guptas’ South African lawyer, Ahmed Gani, told News24 yesterday that the brothers had not told him about the Indian raids, and he was unable to confirm if they had taken place.

The raids are said to be in relation to the Guptas’ accounting and income expenditure records. They apparently began at 7am on Tuesday, and a huge crowd had gathered outside – reminiscent of the Hawks raid of the Gupta mansion in Saxonworld, South Africa, back in February.

The situation has seemingly intensified for the Gupta family – the Indian press said that six months ago, a case was opened against Ajay in relation to a fraud case in Saharanpur. Livehindustan.com reported that Indian authorities seized documents in the raid.

Another Indian publication, Patrika.com, reported that Sahara’s offices in Hakkikat Nagar were also raided, as well as another property in Dehradun.

A state-owned Canadian bank has also taken the Guptas to court, claiming that they defaulted on a loan used to purchase a Bombardier Global 6000 private jet, and that they owe the bank $27-million (~R319-million). The matter is before the high court in Johannesburg, and the case has been postponed till Friday.

The family bought the jet with a loan from Export Development Canada, which has now applied to ground the plane. The EDC expressed its concern that the jet could be used to flee or conduct unlawful activities.

Yesterday morning, the missing plane surfaced in Dubai, according to CorporateJetInvestor.com. It was last seen in Russia in February, and reportedly flew to Dubai on Monday night. – News Agencies