South African Revenue Service (Sars) commissioner Tom Moyane has denied allegations that he met with any members of the Gupta family in his personal and private capacity, in a statement released by Sars on Friday.

Sars confirmed that Moyane was in Dubai two years ago on December 23, before making his way to Portugal to spend Christmas in the European country. The statement claims he also made his way back to Dubai on December 29, before his return to South Africa on January 8 last year.

Initially, Sars spokesperson Sandile Memela declined to provide specific details on the trips, saying that Sars was prohibited by policy.

Sars labelled media coverage purporting the claims that he has met the infamous Gupta family as "malicious and reckless in the extreme".

The Times previously reported that travel records obtained through the #GuptaLeaks revealed that the tax commissioner stayed in Dubai during December 23 and 29, as well as another five times between June 2015 and December 2016. The Gupta family has property in the United Arab Emirates city.

The trip, according to The Times, was coincidentally at the same time that the Gupta brothers, Rajesh, Atul and Ajay, as well as Duduzane Zuma and sons of Free State Premier Ace Magashule – Gift and Thato Magashule – were in the city.

Sars called on anyone with information to provide it to Sars, and any other organ of state.