SA businessman detained in Dubai a free man - for now

South African businessman Justin van Pletzen‚ who was last week jailed in Dubai for filming his confrontation with Ajay Gupta‚ has been released from detention‚ TimesLIVE has reliably learnt.

A spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) could not be reached immediately to confirm the latest information.

Previously‚ Dirco had confirmed that officials were visiting Van Pletzen daily to ensure his well-being.

Last week Justin's brother‚ Sebastian van Pletzen‚ told Times Select the family understood that Justin had not been arrested but that he was under investigation. “Yes‚ there is an investigation by United Arab Emirates authorities‚ because a law on videoing people in that country has been broken‚ but I can assure you my brother has not been arrested or charged.”

A video emerged online of Van Pletzen confronting Ajay Gupta‚ who South African state capture investigators have declared a fugitive from justice‚ outside the Indian Embassy in Dubai.

In the video‚ Justin asks a jovial Gupta when he would be returning to South Africa to "face the music".

It is understood that Gupta himself reported Justin to the Dubai authorities.

This is a developing story.