Durban -A Chief executive of a Gupta-owned mining company which is facing liquidation has been assassinated in an apparent drive-by hit.
Jagannath Prasad “JP” Arora, CE of JIC Mining Services, was ambushed by gunmen while driving in New Road, Midrand, on Saturday night.
The vehicle Arora was driving was sprayed with bullets.
The bullets that hit him claimed his life a short while after the brazen attack that happened after 11pm, according to police.
It appears a badly bleeding Arora, who was alone in the car, tried to save his life by driving to a nearby hospital with his bleeding body riddled by bullets.
But he would not make it any further, due to the extensive injuries and losing a lot of blood.
“The man was shot and drove for some time,” Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said yesterday.
“He stopped when he became powerless. Unfortunately, he was certified dead on the road. Police found him already dead (in his car).”
Arora’s assailants fled after their daring attack, leaving police to launch a manhunt.
The investigation would focus on why he was gunned down and who wanted him dead.
“So far, the suspects have not been arrested,” said Makhubele. He added that police urged anyone with information to come forward.
JIC Mining Services is one of the Gupta-owned companies facing liquidation.
According to media reports, a decision was taken earlier last month to liquidate JIC.
Formally registered as Westdawn Investments, the Midrand-based JIC specialised in underground mining in the gold, platinum and chrome sectors.
It was crippled by debt that climbed to almost R60m. The application to liquidate JIC was brought by Kal Tire Mining, which was owed R900000.
Roughly 800 workers were due to lose their jobs at JIC.
Arora was reportedly due to return to his home country, India, after JIC’s liquidation.
He graduated from Chaudhary Charan Singh University and gained experience in sectors that included banking, manufacturing and mining.
Seemingly one of the Guptas’ close lieutenants, Arora also previously worked in a senior management position at Sahara Computers. This company has also been shut down.
The Gupta brothers resigned from management positions in their local companies and reportedly fled to Dubai in 2016.
Their exit followed allegations over a number of years that they used their friendship with former president Jacob Zuma to win business contracts and influence ministerial appointments.
It was believed that the extradition treaty South Africa signed with the United Arab Emirates in September would bring the Gupta brothers back to face criminal charges.
While the extent of the criminal case against the Gupta brothers was unclear, one of them, Ajay, was being sought for a case already before the courts.