The Hawks have confirmed that they are searching for Ajay Gupta who was supposed to have handed himself over to authorities on Wednesday.
Hawks spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Muladuzi, told reporters in Bloemfontein this afternoon that there "is a warrant" for his arrest.
"We did contact his lawyers yesterday (Weds). We were expecting them to hand him over. As such we haven't received any communication from them so there is going to be a search party for Ajay. We want to make it clear now and make it public that we are looking for him."
Mulaudzi said that they want to make sure that Ajay Gupta "is behind bars as soon as possible."
Earlier the Hawks said that eight people had been arrested in a crackdown on Wednesday in connection with corruption linked to the Estina Dairy Project at Vrede in the Free State.
The Police Ministry said the Hawks, working with the National Prosecuting Authority, began executing the warrants of arrest for 13 people as part of the State Capture investigations.
Ministry spokesperson, Mtunzi Mhaga, said two suspects are still being sought in South Africa while three other foreign nationals are believed to be outside the country.
All of those arrested by the Hawks appeared in court on Bloemfontein on Thursday.
Seven of the accused including Varun Gupta and Free State Agricultural HOD Peter Thabethe were granted bail of between R10000 and R200000.
