Legal trouble for the UK’s richest family! Hindujas face potential 4 years in Jail
UK’s prominent family ‘Hinduja’ was convicted for exploitation of servants by underpaying them at their luxurious villa in Geneva, Switzerland.
The court found the four family members guilty of providing unauthorized employment, offering minimal health benefits, and paying wages less than one-tenth of the standard rate for such jobs in Switzerland, as reported by Bloomberg.
The eldest family members, Prakash Hinduja, 78, and Kamal Hinduja, 75, received sentences of 4 1/2 years each. However, both were absent from the trial due to health issues. Ajay Hinduja and his wife Namrata were sentenced to 4 years.
The Hinduja family’s business manager, Najib Ziazi, received an 18-month suspended sentence.
According to Bloomberg, the Hinduja family members were accused of seizing workers’ passports, preventing them from leaving the villa, and forcing them to work long hours for minimal pay. Many workers, who only spoke Hindi, were paid in rupees to bank accounts in India, which they could not access while in Switzerland.
The Hindujas expressed their dismay at the court’s decision and announced an appeal has been filed to a higher court. They hope to overturn the verdict, which found them guilty of exploiting domestic workers, as reported by PTI.
However, the family’s legal team denied the allegations, arguing that the staff were treated respectfully and provided proper accommodation.
Workers reported a “climate of fear” and were forced to work up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, without statutory time off or benefits, for wages far below the Swiss standard, as highlighted by PTI.
The conviction stemmed from a case that began in 2018 when Swiss prosecutors, acting on a tip-off, raided the Hinduja villa, Hinduja Bank offices, and other local businesses owned by the Hinduja Group. Documents and hard drives were seized as evidence.
Prosecutors highlighted that the workers endured harsh conditions, working with little or no vacation, extended hours for receptions, and often slept in the basement on mattresses. According to PTI, Swiss authorities have confiscated valuable assets, including diamonds, rubies, a platinum necklace, and other jewellery, to cover potential legal fees and penalties.
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