Durban: The great granddaughter of Mohandas Karam Chand Gandhi who earned the esteemed prefix of Mahatma, the author of 'My experiments with truth', was handed 7 years of imprisonment in a fraud case.
Ashish Lata Ramgobin, daughter of a social activist and great granddaughter of Mahatama Gandhi was found guilty in a 6 million rand fraud case by Durban court. She was accused of saving businessman SR Maharaj at the behest of a cut in the profit. Maharaj allegedly transferred her 6.2 million rands to clear import and customs duties of a consignment that doesn't really exist. The leave to appeal both conviction and sentence was denied by the Durban commercial crime court.
During the hearing on Monday, the court was informed that Lata Ramgobin had met Maharaj, the director of New Africa Alliance Footwear Distributors, in August 2015. The company imports manufacture and sell clothing, linens, and footwear. Maharaj's company also provides financial assistance to other companies on the basis of dividends. Lata Ramgobin told Maharaj that she had ordered three containers of linen for the South African Hospital Group Net Care.
Due to Ramgobin's family and net care documents, Maharaj made a written agreement with him for the loan. But later when he came to know about the fraud, he filed a criminal case against Lata.
Ashish Lata Ramgobin is the daughter of famous activist Ila Gandhi and the late Mewa Ramgovind. He has been instrumental in reviving the Phoenix Settlement established by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa.(WD)