Deadline for Guptas in Indian probe

Money-laundering charges loom as trio due to appear before tax authorities Today is D-Day for the Gupta brothers to appear before Indian tax authorities. Atul‚ Ajay and Rajesh initially had to appear on March 16‚ but were granted a 10-day extension. The brothers could reportedly be charged with money laundering and fraudulently amassing properties. A senior income tax official in India’s Uttar Pradesh state‚ Amrendra Kumar‚ told Reuters previously that the Gupta brothers were suspected of finding ways to bring illicit money into India. Indian tax authorities raided Gupta properties in Dehradun and Saharanpur on March 6. Jagran.com reported 125 Gupta-linked properties were identified in the raids. The Times of India reported that the brothers flew to Dubai after a recent stay in Dehradun. Yesterday, the newspaper reported that tax authorities were also probing the relationship of the Gupta brothers with aviation company Heritage Aviation Private Limited, which operates helicopters in Kedarnath‚ Uttarakhand. A tax official said: “The firm will have to explain its dealings with people close to the Gupta brothers. “The firm had leased a chopper from the Gupta brothers’ firm [Sahara Computers].” A company director‚ Rohit Mathur‚ said: “My firm has a joint venture with the company belonging to the Gupta brothers and I know them as business partners.”

The Johannesburg High Court ruled on Monday last week that the Gupta brothers must return their Bombardier jet to the Lanseria airport pending the outcome of court proceedings in England. Export Development Canada (EDC) brought an urgent application to ground the aircraft on February 15. The Civil Aviation Authority was also ordered to deregister the aircraft, which effectively means it will not be able to fly anywhere in the world. The Guptas have 15 days to comply. They are expected to appeal against the ruling. South African police raided Johannesburg properties belonging to the Gupta brothers and their allies in connection with a probe into allegations of state capture on February 14. The brothers are on the run from South African authorities. They are expected to be central to the judicial commission of inquiry into state capture. – TimesLIVE