A local court has sentenced Mahatma Gandhi’s great-granddaughter to seven years in prison in South Africa.
Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter Ashish Lata Ramgobin, 56, was sentenced by a court in Durban on Monday for allegedly defrauding local businessman SR Maharaj of Rs 62 lakh (approximately Rs 3.32 crore) and committing forgery.
She was sent to prison for fraudulently taking Rs 62 lakh from SR Maharaj by creating a fictitious consignment from India and requested money to clear the import and customs tax on it. Maharaj alleged that she had also promised to give him a share of the profits made in the relevant transaction.
Lata Ramgobin is the daughter of Ela Gandhi, a prominent rights activist in South Africa. The National Prosecuting Authority told the court that she had created invoices and other documents to convince investors that the three-container linen cloth was coming from India.
According to the prosecution, Lata Ramgobin met SR Maharaj, Director, Footwear Distributors, New Africa Alliance, in August 2015. The company is also in the textile business. She told him that she had imported linen cloth from India in three containers for a hospital group called Netcare, which was unable to pay their import and customs duty due to financial difficulties, and that the containers would come out of the port if the adjustment of Rs 62 lakh was made for nonexistence commodities.
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Lata had used Fake invoices, and other documents were shown to convince him. He was promised the money and also a share of the profits.
In view of the loyalty of Lata Ramgobin’s family, the RS Maharaj paid the money and entered into a written agreement. Subsequently, the fraud was identified, and a complaint was lodged.
The case was initially taken to court in 2015 with all documents to prove Lata’s crime, but she was later bailed with 50,000 rands.
However, on Monday, the court went through trial, and Lata Ramgobin was pronounced guilty of defrauding SR Maharaj.
Many of the Mahatma Gandhi family are social activists in South Africa, fighting for civil rights. Ela Gandhi, the mother of Lata Ramgobin, is a world-renowned human rights activist.
She has been honored with awards from many countries, including India and South Africa.
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