State thrashed in R250-million court battle with the Guptas

“A serious blow to the fight against organised crime.”

That’s how the National Prosecuting Authority has reacted to the Guptas’ successful court bid to unfreeze R250-million of their assets – which the state tried to argue may be the benefits of the alleged Estina Dairy Project scam.

The Bloemfontein High Court was not convinced, finding that there no reasonable grounds to believe that the family, their associates or their businesses may be convicted on charges relating to that alleged scam.

The Guptas' lawyer, Rudi Krause, says the judgment vindicates the family’s stance “that there is no evidence against them”. He added: “We have made it clear to the National Prosecuting Authority that they should withdraw the case against our clients. If they pursue this case now, they do so at their own threshold.”

Krause said Monday’s ruling by Judge Phillip Loubser made it clear the NPA “couldn’t pass the lowest threshold required” in their second bid to freeze the Gupta assets.

Read the full story on Times Select.