An Indian court has denied bail to Ajay Gupta, a member of the Gupta family infamous for large-scale corruption in South Africa, in connection with allegedly abetting the suicide of businessman Satinder Singh Sawhney.
The Gupta brothers, originally from India, established a vast business empire in South Africa after moving there in 1993, following the end of apartheid.
Ajay Gupta and another family member, Anil Gupta, were arrested in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, last month.
Sawhney, a building developer involved in housing projects with the Guptas, was found dead on May 24, with a suicide note alleging threats from the two men.
Despite their bail application, both Guptas remain detained.
The Gupta family’s history of corruption includes allegations of collusion with former South African President Jacob Zuma to embezzle state assets, causing significant financial losses.
Ajay, although previously a fugitive, was not listed on Interpol’s Red Notice, unlike his brothers Atul and Rajesh, who are currently in the UAE.
Zuma, ousted in 2018, recently gained significant political support in South Africa’s general elections, diminishing the long-standing dominance of the African National Congress (ANC).
