Cape Town - The Gupta family splashed out on a week-long wedding celebration at a five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi, but they have yet to settle the bill for a similar bash they hosted at Sun City six years ago.
Brothers Atul and Rajesh (Tony) Gupta held a double wedding for their children at the Emirates Palace Hotel.
Atul’s son Srikant Singhala got married to Akhya Bansel and Tony’s daughter Shubhangi Singhala tied the knot with Chetan Jain.
The festivities began on Tuesday and ended on Saturday with a reception. According to media reports, the family planned to spend R100 million on the wedding extravaganza.
The Guptas have not yet settled their bill for the wedding they hosted at Sun City in 2013, when their niece, Vega, got married. Zoleka Skweyiya, a spokesperson for Sun International, said: “Sun City is still owed money for the Gupta family wedding. We have not written the money off, but reserve all our rights in this regard.”
Last week, Aarif Nazeem, a duty manager at the Emirates Palace Hotel, confirmed to Independent Media that wedding celebrations were under way, but referred further questions to the hotel spokesperson. “Yes, we do have a wedding happening, but I cannot disclose any more information beyond that, I am sorry,” he said by phone.
The hotel spokesperson’s request for questions to be put in writing was met but no response was received at the time of publication.
The Gupta Leaks revealed how Sun City tried to pressure the family to settle a R5.4 million bill for the 2013 wedding. The family disputed the bill.
The Guptas caused an outcry by using Waterkloof Airforce Base as a private landing strip for more than 400 guests arriving from all over the world.
It has since been revealed that the wedding was allegedly funded with money meant for a dairy project for disadvantaged farmers in Free State.
The National Prosecuting Authority tried to prosecute members of the Gupta family over the alleged use of that money, but the case was provisionally withdrawn earlier this year.
The DA has written to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi, asking that the case be reinstated.