The spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Investigative Directorate, Sindisiwe Seboka, says the process to have Atul and Rajesh Gupta and their wives, Cherali and Arti, extradited has already begun. 

The four will, amongst others, face charges of fraud and corruption after money was diverted to Islandsite Investments 180 (Pty) Ltd (Islandsite), owned and controlled by the Gupta family.  

The four are sought as suspects in the matter where R24 million was syphoned off the Department of Agriculture, following a failed feasibility study on the provincial government's flagship project, which included the Estina Dairy project under ‘Mohumamobung’. Four suspects, charged with fraud and corruption, appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The former Transnet board member and business partner to Gupta associate Salim Essa, Iqbal Sharma, and three former senior Free State government officials appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court on charges of procurement fraud.

Sharma appeared alongside former Agriculture Head of the Department (HOD) Peter Thabethe, Former Chief Finance Officer (CFO) Seipati Dlamini, and Bloem Water Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Limakatso Moorosi. Moorosi is another former HOD of Agriculture in the Free State.

Thabethe and Sharma have been remanded in custody until Monday 7 June 2021, pending a formal bail hearing.

In a statement, Seboka adds that the funds were diverted to Islandsite Investments 180 (Pty) Ltd (Islandsite), a company owned and controlled by Atul Gupta and his wife Chetali; Rajesh Gupta and his wife, Arti (“the Gupta Family”).

The state alleges that Sharma, Thabethe, Moorosi and Dlamini colluded to divert funds earmarked for rural development in the Free State. These funds were then placed at the disposal of the Gupta family.

"The R24 million was purportedly paid to Nulane to conduct a feasibility study for the Free State Province’s flagship, the Mohoma Mobung Project, on the basis that Nulane had unique skills to perform the work.

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