NEW DELHI: Fifty-six years old great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, Ashish Lata Ramgobin, the daughter of renowned human rights activist Ela Gandhi and late Mewa Ramgobind, has been sentenced to seven years in jail by a Durban court in a six-million rand ($442,000) fraud and forgery case.

Ela is the daughter of Gandhi's second son Manilal, and she along with Mewa Ramgobind played instrumental roles in reviving the Phoenix Settlement established by Gandhi during his tenure in South Africa.

A self-employed mother of two, in 2015 Ashish Lata was found to have defrauded businessman Shailendra R Maharaj after he advanced rand 6.2 million to her after she promised a share of large profits, allegedly to clear import and customs duties for a non-existent consignment from India.

It was alleged that she had provided forged invoices and documents to convince potential investors that three containers of linen were being shipped in from India. At that time, Ramgobin was released on bail of rand 50,000 ($3,683).

Ramgobin had told Maharaj that she had imported three containers of linen for the major South African hospital group NetCare and that she was experiencing financial difficulties to pay for import costs and customs and she needed the money to clear the goods at the harbour.

Later she sent him forged invoices and delivery note as proof that the goods were delivered and payment was imminent. 

However, after Maharaj found out that the documents were forgeries and Netcare had no arrangements with her he filed criminal charges.