Watch: Gupta brothers arrested in Dubai on corruption charges, confirms South Africa
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The Gupta brothers, friends of former President Jacob Zuma, are accused in South Africa of using their relationship with Zuma to profit financially and influence senior appointments. They deny wrongdoing.
The South African government announced on Monday that Rajesh and Atul Gupta of the Gupta family had been arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).The Gupta brothers, friends of former President Jacob Zuma, are accused in South Africa of profiting financially and influencing top appointments through their ties with Zuma. They deny any misconduct on their part.
In 1993, the family relocated from India to South Africa. They are also accused of money laundering in India, where tax inspectors raided their houses in numerous locations in 2018, including their company's headquarters in Delhi.
The Indian-born brothers' association with Jacob Zuma, who was president of South Africa from 2009 until he was forced to resign amid a storm of corruption charges nine years later, is at the centre of many of the most serious corruption allegations levelled against them.
The Gupta family is accused of abusing its strong ties to President Jacob Zuma to wield significant political power at all levels of the South African government, including securing business contracts, influencing high-profile government appointments, and misappropriating state funds.
During Zuma's nine-year presidency, a number of witnesses testified about the Guptas' participation in plundering vast sums of money and influencing the nomination of Cabinet ministers.
Zuma and the Guptas maintain that they are innocent of any wrongdoing.
South Africa concluded an extradition deal with the UAE in 2021 after the brothers departed the country.
Interpol had issued Red Notices to the Gupta brothers, who had also been declared persona non gratia by the US and the UK.
For fugitives wanted for prosecution, Red Notices are issued to inform law enforcement agencies around the world to capture them pending extradition.
The family fled South Africa in 2018 as the net tightened on them, with the ANC eventually replacing Zuma and electing Cyril Ramaphosa as Acting President as a result of massive public protests.
It remains unclear why the third brother, Ajay, was not arrested.Their assets have already been blocked by South African courts.
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