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Gupta Brothers of India plan to invest in Uzbekistan
Photo: FT/Gallo Images/Business Day; Getty Images
Hounded out of South Africa over charges of violating laws and financial embezzlement, the infamous Gupta Brothers of India are now seeking new pastures for investments, Business Television India (BTVI) reports.
The Saharanpur-based brothers, currently holed up in Dubai, have started a healthcare venture in India with Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali group and planned a mega university in Uzbekistan. And this is happening even as the brothers have filed for insolvency in South Africa.
The Gupta family is a wealthy Indian family whose most notable members are the brothers Ajay, Atul, Rajesh “Tony” Gupta as well as Atul Gupta's nephews Varun, and US-based Ashish and Amol. The Gupta family owns a business empire spanning computer equipment, media and mining, and has been the focus of widespread scrutiny because of its close ties to Jacob Zuma during his Presidency.
The family’s strong ties to former South African president Jacob Zuma, both personally and through its company Oakbay Investments, have been the subject of extensive international scrutiny and caused much political controversy. The ties have led to widespread claims of corruption, undue influence and of state capture – a term which is used to allege that the government undertakes activities and decisions, decides some high-level appointments, and determines control of some state enterprises, for the Gupta family's direct or indirect benefit, or in agreement with the family. In 2015 the Guptas’ influence on the presidency was described by anti-corruption campaigner and former trade unionist Zwelinzima Vavi as being a “shadow government”.
Multiple MPs and ministers have stated that they were offered government positions by, or on behalf of, the Gupta family, in return for beneficial commercial decisions once appointed.
On 16 February 2018, two days after Zuma had stepped down as president of South Africa, Ajay Gupta was declared a fugitive from justice by South African authorities after failing to turn himself over to the authorities.
