Gupta confronter’s kin ‘worried, not panicking’

Justin Van Pletzen, a South African in Dubai, spotted Ajay Gupta at an office block on April 4, 2018.
Justin Van Pletzen, a South African in Dubai, spotted Ajay Gupta at an office block on April 4, 2018.
Image: Screengrab

The family of Justin van Pletzen – the South African who confronted Ajay Gupta outside the Indian consulate in Dubai and who is now under investigation by that country’s authorities – say while they are concerned about their brother‚ they are not panicking.

“Worried? What do you think? He’s my brother. But we are not panicking‚” said Van Pletzen’s brother Sebastian‚ who also works and lives in Dubai.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation maintains the South African is in custody – and that it is sending consular officials there every day to check up on him.

On Thursday‚ Justin’s phone went directly to voicemail.

Sebastian said the family understood that Justin had not been arrested but that he was under investigation.

“Yes‚ there is an investigation by UAE authorities‚ because a law on videoing people has been broken‚ but I can assure you my brother has not been arrested or charged,” he said.

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