Dehradun Builder's Suicide Leads to Arrest of 'Gupta Brothers' of South Africa on Abetment Charges

Police on Friday arrested Anil Kumar Gupta and Ajay Kumar Gupta, commonly known as the "Gupta brothers of South Africa," on allegations of abetting suicide. The arrest follows the tragic death of Satinder Singh Sawhney (52), a well-known builder from Dehradun, who implicated them in a suicide note before jumping from the terrace of a seven-story apartment complex on Friday morning.

Originally from Saharanpur, the Gupta family rose to prominence due to their expansive business operations in South Africa, where they faced allegations of widespread corruption. Their involvement in a major political scandal, which implicated then-President Jacob Zuma, garnered international attention a few years ago. Additionally, the family sparked controversy by organizing the weddings of two of their children in the environmentally delicate Auli region of the Garhwal Himalayas in 2019.

According to a report of TOI, The weddings, said to have cost Rs 200 cr, left behind a trail of garbage in the eco-sensitive area. Following the controversy in South Africa, the family came to India. The builder's suicide note, addressed to PM Modi and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, accused the brothers of coercion and interference in his projects.

According to police sources, Sawhney had accused Anil and Ajay of pressuring him and his business partner to relinquish control of two significant construction projects in the city. These claims were reiterated in both the suicide note discovered by authorities and a formal complaint filed by Sawhney's son, Ranbir. Furthermore, Sawhney had previously lodged a complaint with the police on May 16, which was currently under investigation.