Uttarakhand: Builder commits suicide in Dehradun, South Africa's Gupta brothers nabbed
May 24, 2024
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 24 : A prominent builder from Dehradun, committed suicide by jumping from an under-construction building located on Rajpur Road, sending shockwaves through the community and highlighting severe underlying issues of threats and financial disputes.
Sahni, also known as Baba Sahni, left behind a suicide note addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami in which he claimed that he had been under severe depression due to ongoing threats and financial disputes with several businessmen, including the Gupta brothers from Africa.
The note revealed that Sahni had been facing severe harassment, which had exacerbated his depression and led to his drastic decision.
Following the incident, Dehradun police swiftly arrested Ajay Gupta and Anil Gupta, after which the duo were taken into custody for questioning.
Speaking to ANI, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dehradun, Ajay Singh, said, "The deceased builder's son filed an FIR regarding the suicide. After that, the 'Gupta brothers', Ajay Gupta and Anil Gupta, were detained based on the evidence. It was found that the deceased was put under unnecessary pressure in his business partnership. He was threatened. Tomorrow, we will present the accused persons to the court."
The Gupta brothers--Ajay Gupta and Anil Gupta- are well-known in South Africa for their involvement in large-scale corruption and state capture scandals. The Guptas owned a number of businesses that had lucrative contracts with South African government departments and state-owned corporations.
Jacob Zuma, the former President of South Africa, has faced numerous legal issues before, during, and after his presidency, including rape charges, embezzlements, corruption, and fraud, to name a few.
The connection of the Gupta family is the most conspicuous of all the corruption charges levelled against him.
Zuma, who left office in 2018 dogged by corruption allegations, was convicted of contempt of court during a case in 2021 and sentenced to 15 months. He eventually served less than three months in jail.
Further details into the matter are awaited.
