A Swiss court has sentenced four members of Britain’s richest family, the Hindujas, to jail for exploiting their Indian staff at their Geneva mansion. The family was acquitted of human trafficking but convicted of other charges related to the exploitation of their staff.
Prakash Hinduja and his wife, Kamal, were sentenced to four years and six months in prison, while their son Ajay and his wife, Namrata, received four-year terms. The family was accused of bringing servants from India and confiscating their passports, paying them minimal wages, and giving them little freedom to leave the house.
Prosecutors argued that the family profited from the \”misery of the world\” by paying their staff a pittance, while the family\’s defense lawyers claimed that the staff received ample benefits and were not mistreated.
The Hinduja Group, with interests in oil and gas, banking, and healthcare, is present in 38 countries and employs around 200,000 people. The family\’s fortune is estimated at £37 billion.
This verdict marks a significant blow to the family\’s reputation and highlights the issue of exploitation of vulnerable employees by powerful employers.
