Indian wedding controversy: Nine South African cops suspended

Nine officers of the Tshwane Metro Police in South Africa have been suspended for their alleged role in a controversial wedding in an Indian-origin family earlier this month.

Eight officers were served suspension letters while the ninth officer could not be served his letter as he is in hospital, local media reported Saturday.

"The said members will have their firearms and appointment certificates confiscated," the Independent Online quoted Console Tleane, Tshwane Metro Police's executive director for support and administration, as saying.

The wedding of Vega Gupta, daughter of Achla Gupta, the only sister of the influential and politically-connected Gupta brothers - Ajay, Atul and Rajesh - had become a national controversy when a private chartered aircraft carrying around 200 guests from India was allowed to land at the Watrkloof Air Force base near Pretoria April 30.

It was also alleged that Tshwane Metro Police officers escorted the guests in a cavalcade of blue-lighted vehicles from the air base to the wedding venue, the Palace of the Lost City five-star resort in Sun City near Pretoria.

The Tshwane metropolitan area includes the city of Pretoria.

According to the reports, apart from the nine officers suspended, further action is expected against two more officers whose role has now come to light.

The officers had been given a period of 48 hours to respond to intent-to-suspend letters they had been served, which expired Thursday night.

The hearing for all these officers is expected next week.