South African police raid Gupta home ‘crime scene’

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Businessmen Ajay and Atul Gupta with Duduzane Zuma, son of South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma in Johannesburg in 2011

An elite South African police unit raided the home of the Gupta family, wealthy friends of President Jacob Zuma, on Wednesday as part of an investigation into allegations of influence peddling in the government, spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said.

The Guptas are accused by the public anti-graft watchdog of using their friendship with Zuma, asked by his party to step down, to influence policy and amass wealth. They deny wrongdoing.

A police officer at the compound blocked off access to the street, saying: “This is a crime scene.”