Who Is Lata Ramgobin? Great Granddaughter Of Mahatma Gandhi Sentenced To Jail For 7 Years

Who Is Lata Ramgobin: Lata Ramgobit, 56-year-old great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi has been sentenced to jail by Dublin court in a fraud case. Ramgobin was accused of a six million rand fraud and forgery case in South Africa.

Ashish Lata Ramgobin was accused of defrauding a businessman, SR Maharaj, director of the New Africa Alliance Footwear Distributors. He advanced a total of 6.2 million rands. Ramgobin also reportedly promised a share of profits to SR Maharaj and alleged that she was going to use the money for clearing import and customs duties. But the consignment from India was proved to be non-existent.

The trial case against Lata Ramgobin started back in 2015. Back then, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that she allegedly provided forged invoices and documents to commit fraud. But she was released on a bail of 50,000 rands at that time.

On the court hearing of June 7, it was revealed that Ramgobin met Maharaj in 2015. NPS Spokesperson Natasha Kara said, “She said she was experiencing financial difficulties to pay for import costs and customs and she needed money to clear the goods at the harbour”.

Ramgobin alleged that three containers of linen were being shipped from India. She also provided Maharaj with a NetCare invoice and delivery note as proof that she had sent the materials. Because of her family’s respectable credentials and the documents, Maharaj entered into an agreement with her.

However, Maharaj found out that the documents were forged. He then pressed criminal charges. On June 7, Ramgobin was sentenced to seven years in jail in South Africa.

Who Is Lata Ramgobin?

• Lata Ramagobin is the daughter of noted right activist Ela Gandhi and the late Mewa Ramgobind. She is also the great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi.
• She was the founder and executive director of the Participative Development Initiative at the NGO International Centre for Non-Violence.
• Ramgobin is the cousin of Kirti Menon, the late Satish Dhupelia, and Uma Dhupelia Mesthrie who are all human rights activists.
• Ramgobin once described herself as, “an activist with focus on environmental, societal and political interests.”
• Ramgobin was found guilty by the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court on June 7 for fraud and forgery and will be serving seven years in jail