Socialites in Lamborghini court battle
Durban duo already in trouble with the law head to court
AR1.6 million Lamborghini is at the centre of a court spat between two of Durban’s wealthiest young socialites, one a convicted murderer and the other charged for running a ponzi scheme.
Fraud accused Prinasen Dhaver, who claims to be the richest businessman under 30 in Durban, said he bought a Lamborghini Gallardo from Rajiv Narandas, who is appealing his conviction and 18-year jail sentence for the murder of Veenand Singh outside a Sandton nightclub.
Dhaver alleged in his urgent Durban High Court application, which came before Judge Johan Ploos van Amstel yesterday, that Narandas had stolen it back from him.
He wants an order against Rajiv and his father, Krish, for the return of the vehicle. They are opposing this.
In his affidavit, Dhaver claimed to be a “good friend” of Rajiv Narandas. He said he had been approached by Krish to buy the car.
He said Krish was “desperate to sell it” because his son could go to jail for a long time and he could not afford the monthly payments.
“I was keen. He said the price was R1.6m and I could make monthly payments of R20 000.”
Dhaver said that because they were good friends, the deal had been verbal. He took delivery of the car in June. Since then, he had paid Rajiv R340 000, R120 000 to his father and spent about R350 000 on repairs. But, he said that earlier this month, Rajiv “unlawfully removed” the car.
Rajiv, in his affidavit, said that was all lies. He said Dhaver was just someone who befriended him on Facebook in April this year. He said Dhaver had come to his house to see his father about a wedding ring, saw the car, test drove it and wanted to buy it.
Rajiv said he was prepared to sell it because his father was going to buy him another one. “It had nothing to do with my case.”
Rajiv said the instalment agreement was for R80 000 a month and the car had to be paid off by the end of next month. But Dhaver had paid only the first three instalments.
“He told me he could no longer afford the car because of the criminal charges… I told him I would take the car back and he consented.” He attached e-mails which he said proved that Dhaver could not pay the R80 000 a month and wanted to renegotiate.
In terms of an order taken by consent, Dhaver will file his response next month and then the matter will be set down again on the court roll.