Johannesburg: Ajay Gupta, one of three Gupta brothers under investigation over accusations of corrupt links to ousted South African President Jacob Zuma, left the country for Dubai 10 days ago, a Johannesburg airport spokeswoman said on Friday.

The three brothers, accused by the public anti-graft watchdog of using their friendship with Zuma to influence policy and amass wealth, have denied any wrongdoing, as has Zuma.

Ajay Gupta was declared "a fugitive from justice" by South Africa's chief prosecutor this week after he failed to report to police investigating allegations that millions of dollars of public money intended for a state-backed dairy project were siphoned off.

Leigh Gunkel-Keuler, a spokeswoman for Johannesburg's main airport, said Ajay Gupta was on an Emirates flight bound for Dubai on February 6 at 1830GMT.

"I cannot confirm if Mr Ajay Gupta is back in the country; he may well be back in the country through another port of entry," Gunkel-Keuler said.

A spokesman for the elite Hawks police unit that targets organised crime and corruption said it had made contact with the Gupta family's lawyers but not yet located Ajay. He said police were only searching for Ajay, not his brothers Atul or Rajesh, contrary to some domestic media reports.

A lawyer who used to represent the Guptas told Reuters his mandate to work for the family had recently been suspended. Other lawyers authorised to speak for the Guptas could not immediately be located for comment.

South Africa has no extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Dubai is located and this could complicate South African authorities' efforts to question Ajay Gupta - if he remained in the Gulf state.

A spokesman for the UAE embassy in South Africa was not available for comment.

Gunkel-Keuler said the airport would hand over all relevant information to the Hawks, which are formally known as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.

Another media report said a pilot refused to fly a private plane owned Atul Gupta from the Lanseria airport, close to Johannesburg. Reuters