On June 7, Ashish Lata Ramgobin, daughter of social activist Ela Gandhi and granddaughter of Manilal Gandhi was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment by a South African court for a fraud case pending since 2015. According to reports, she was accused of defrauding SR Maharaj, a businessperson, after he advanced 6.2 million rands to her for clearing import and customs duties for a consignment that Ramgobin had assured was to arrive from India.
During the trial in the case that began in 2015, according to Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, the then chief of South Africa's fraud investigation unit Hawks, Ramgobin had allegedly provided forged invoices and documents to convince the investors that three containers of linen were being shipped in from India.
According to reports, she had met Maharaj, director of the New Africa Alliance Footwear Distributors that imports, manufactures and sells clothing, linen and footwear. The company also provided loans to other companies on a profit-share basis. When she met Maharaj, she had told him that she had imported three containers of linen for the South African Hospital Group NetCare and needed money to clear custom duties.
Following the proceedings in 2015, Ramgobin was later released on a bail of 50,000 rand.
On Monday, June 7, during the hearing, National Prosecution Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara speaking about the case said, "She (Ramgobin) said she was experiencing financial difficulties to pay for import costs and customs and she needed the money to clear the goods at the harbour. She advised him (Maharaj) that she needed R6.2 million. To convince him, she showed him what she claimed was a signed purchase order for the goods. Later that month, she sent him what seemed to be a NetCare invoice and delivery note as proof that the goods were delivered and payment was imminent."
Ramgobin further sent him confirmation from NetCare's bank account that payment had been made. A PTI report further stated that because of Ramgobin's family credentials and NetCare documents, Maharaj had entered into a written agreement with her for the loan. However, after Maharaj found out that the documents were forged and NetCare had no arrangements with Lata Ramgobin, he laid criminal charges.
Of Mahatma Gandhi lineage
Manilal who was the second son of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Kasturbha had moved to South Africa and settled there for good in 1917 to work with a Gujarati-English weekly publication called Indian Opinion. In 1920, he took over as the editor of the newsweekly. In 1927, Manilal Gandhi married Sushila Mashruwala, and had two daughters, Sita and Ela Gandhi, and one son, Arun Gandhi.
While Arun and Ela are also social-political activists, Ela is an international peace activist in South Africa and was a Member of Parliament in South Africa from 1994 to 2004. After serving in parliament, she founded the Gandhi Development Trust. Ela who married Mewa Ramgobin had three daughters Asha, Arti and Ashish Lata and two sons Kidar and Kush Ramgobin.
Ashish Lata Ramgobin, Executive Director at Participative Development Initiative and Managing Director at United Business Solutions was married to Mark Choonoo for a brief period, claims Famechain, a web portal that tracks and maintains information on well-known families.
