Interpol issues red notices for Atul and Rajesh Gupta – report

Interpol has issued red notices for Atul and Rajesh Gupta, two of the three infamous brothers allegedly behind the state capture project in South Africa.

Red notices have not, however, been issued against their wives, according to a News24 report.

In July 2021, the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said that red notices had been issued for circulation among law enforcement entities of Interpol member states in respect of four of eight accused before the Bloemfontein Regional Court.

This is in relation to the R25 million fraud and money laundering case involving a Gupta-linked company, Nulane Investment.

On Wednesday, the Bloemfontein High Court heard pre-trial issues and adjourned to finalise the pre-trial issues on 24 June 2022. The case is set to go on trial from 23 January 2023 until 3 March 2023.

Red notices are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

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What is an Interpol Red notice?

According to Interpol, Red notices are international requests for cooperation or alerts for member countries to share critical crime-related information.

There are a variety of notices, each serving a different purpose. The Interpol website lists the following:

• Yellow Notice: To help locate missing persons, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.
• Blue Notice: To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.
• Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.
• Green Notice: To provide warning about a person’s criminal activities, where the person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.
• Orange Notice: To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.
• Purple Notice: To seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.
• Red Notice: To seek the location and arrest of wanted persons.

Red notices being issued for the Gupta brothers means that law enforcement agencies around the world will be on the lookout for them.

According to Interpol, the notice contains information which will help member countries’ police to identify the fugitives, such as “such as their name, date of birth, nationality, hair and eye colour, photographs and fingerprints if available”.

It also contains information regarding the crimes they are wanted for.

ALSO READ: Gupta net closing: What is an Interpol Red Notice?

Reports of Guptas wanting to escape Dubai

According to a report in Sunday World in July, the Guptas were trying to “flee” Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to avoid possible extradition to South Africa to stand trial.

They, however, couldn’t leave Dubai after the department of home affairs repeatedly refused to issue them with new passports or renew old ones, despite efforts by the Guptas to force the issue through the South African court system.

Request for comment on this story have been sent to the NPA and the Justice Department. This article will be updated once they have been received.