The Hindujas, the wealthiest family in the United Kingdom, are facing trial in Geneva on accusations of human trafficking and exploiting staff at their Swiss villa, according to a report in Bloomberg. Four members of the family have been accused of confiscating the passports of their staff members and paying them as little as ₹600 for long hours of work.
The Hinduja family has an estimated net worth of $20 billion. They oversee the multinational conglomerate, the Hinduja Group, which spans diverse sectors such as shipping, banking, media, and more. They also hold significant real estate assets in London, including the prestigious Raffles London Hotel.
Here are 5 shocking revelations from the trial of the Hindujas:
1. Prosecutors revealed that the Hinduja family spent much more on their pet dog expenses than they paid one of their staff. Swiss prosecutor Yves Bertossa stated that the family’s yearly spending on their dog amounted to 8,584 Swiss francs (₹ 8,09,399), whereas some staff allegedly worked up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, for as little as 7 Swiss francs (₹ 660) per day.
2. The family allegedly confiscated the passports of their staff members from India, restricting their freedom to leave the premises without permission. This potentially constitutes human trafficking under Swiss law.
3. The staff were paid in Indian currency, leaving them without money in Switzerland.
4. Contracts for the staff reportedly did not specify working hours or days off but required them to be available as needed by the family. This lack of clarity contributed to the alleged exploitation, as per the prosecutor’s arguments in court.
5. The defence responded to accusations, saying they treated their staff with respect and provided them with accommodation and meals as part of their compensation. They pointed out the staff returned to work for the family repeatedly, which they argued showed that they were satisfied with their working conditions.
Representing the Hindujas, Romain Jordan denied the allegations, saying the family was not directly involved in hiring or managing their staff. He accused prosecutors of bias against the billionaire family, stating that no other family would be treated this way.
Prosecutors are now asking for lengthy prison sentences for Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay and his wife Namrata. They also want the family to pay 1 million Swiss francs for court costs and set up a 3.5 million francs compensation fund for the staff affected, according to reports.
