On Friday, a Swiss court sentenced four members of Britain’s wealthiest family, the Hindujas, for exploiting Indian staff at their mansion in Geneva. Although they were acquitted of human trafficking, the court found them guilty on other charges, marking a significant verdict against a family with an estimated fortune of £37 billion ($47 billion).
Prakash Hinduja and his wife, Kamal Hinduja, received sentences of four years and six months each, while their son Ajay and his wife Namrata were sentenced to four years each. The Hindujas were not present in court during the verdict.
The case involved accusations of the family bringing servants from India and confiscating their passports upon arrival in Switzerland. Prosecutors claimed that the Hindujas paid their staff minimal wages and restricted their freedom.
Despite the family’s denial of these allegations, the prosecution pursued the case due to the severity of the charges. The Hindujas had reached a confidential out-of-court settlement with the three employees who made the accusations.
Geneva prosecutor Yves Bertossa had sought a custodial sentence of five and a half years for Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, aged 78 and 75 respectively, who were absent from the trial due to health reasons.
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Bertossa argued that the family exploited the power imbalance between employer and employee to save money, paying the staff between 220 and 400 francs ($250-450) a month, far below Swiss standards. “They’re profiting from the misery of the world,” Bertossa stated.
The Hinduja family’s defense lawyers contended that the plaintiffs received significant benefits, were not isolated, and were free to leave the villa. “We are not dealing with mistreated slaves,” argued lawyer Nicolas Jeandin. Robert Assael, another defense lawyer, insisted that the employees were grateful for the better life provided by the Hindujas and were not deprived of their salaries. Some staff even received raises upon request.
Ajay Hinduja’s lawyer, Yael Hayat, criticized the indictment as excessive, calling for justice rather than social justice. Namrata Hinduja’s lawyer, Romain Jordan, claimed the prosecution aimed to make an example of the family, arguing that the prosecution failed to acknowledge additional payments made to the staff.
The Hinduja Group, with interests in oil and gas, banking, and healthcare, operates in 38 countries and employs around 200,000 people.
