Gambiaj.com – (GENEVA, Switzerland) – Four members of Britain’s wealthiest family, the Hindujas, have been handed prison sentences for exploiting their servants. A Swiss criminal court found Prakash Hinduja, 78, along with his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata guilty of exploiting workers and providing unauthorized employment. However, the court dismissed the more serious charges of human trafficking.
The court sentenced Prakash and Kamal Hinduja to four and a half years each, while Ajay and Namrata received four years each. The family did not attend the Geneva court session, but their business manager, Najib Ziazi, who was present, received an 18-month suspended sentence.
The Hinduja family, with a net worth exceeding £37 billion, was accused of trafficking and exploiting workers, mainly illiterate Indians, at their luxurious villa overlooking Lake Geneva. Employees reportedly had their passports confiscated, were paid in rupees, and were not allowed to leave the house without permission. Prosecutors highlighted that the workers were forced to work long hours for meager pay, with some receiving less than 10% of the amount required under Swiss law.
Prosecutor Yves Bertossa described how the servants endured severe conditions, including working up to 18 hours a day for seven days a week, often sleeping in the basement on mattresses. One worker was paid as little as seven Swiss francs (£6.19) for a full day’s labor. In stark contrast, the court heard that the family spent 8,584 Swiss francs annually on their pet dog.
Judge Sabina Mascotto condemned the family’s actions, stating that the workers were exploited due to their precarious situation in India and their lack of knowledge of the local language. She emphasized that the Hindujas were aware of the Swiss labor regulations and intentionally violated them.
The court ordered the family to pay 850,000 Swiss francs in compensation and 270,000 francs in legal fees. Despite the verdict, the family’s lawyer, Romain Jordan, announced plans to appeal, accusing the prosecutor of “unacceptable bias” and branding the claims as “excessive.”
The family’s conglomerate, Hinduja Group, controls diverse businesses worldwide and owns significant real estate, including the Raffles Hotel in London’s Whitehall. Prakash Hinduja, a Swiss citizen since 2000, has previously faced similar charges, having been convicted in 2007 for employing workers without proper documentation.
While the family reached a settlement with the staff last week, concluding a civil case filed six years ago, an unrelated tax case against Prakash is still pending. Swiss authorities have already seized valuable jewelry to cover potential penalties and legal fees.
In a statement, the Hinduja family’s legal counsel expressed disappointment with the court’s decision, maintaining their confidence in the judicial process and emphasizing the presumption of innocence until a final judgment is rendered.
