Swiss Court Jails UK’s Richest Family Hinduja for Exploiting Indian Domestic Workers

In a landmark ruling, a Swiss court on Friday sentenced members of the UK’s wealthiest family, the Hindujas, to prison for exploiting domestic workers at their luxury villa in Geneva. 

The court found Prakash and Kamal Hinduja guilty, sentencing them to four years and six months, while Ajay and Namrata Hinduja received four-year sentences. 

However, the court acquitted them of human trafficking charges. The family was also ordered to pay approximately USD 950,000 in compensation and USD 300,000 in procedural fees.

Prosecutors charged Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata with trafficking and exploiting workers from India. 

The allegations included confiscating employees' passports and forcing them to work excessively long hours without overtime pay. 

Despite the family's lawyers denying these allegations, the court found sufficient evidence of exploitation.

The trial highlighted the harsh conditions faced by the domestic workers. 

According to the indictment, the workers were paid as little as 10,000 rupees a month (about USD 120) and worked from dawn until late evening without overtime compensation. 

Many workers came from poor backgrounds in India and received wages below Geneva's minimum wage for domestic workers. 

Payments were made into Indian bank accounts, restricting the workers' access to their earnings.

The indictment detailed further abuses, such as the confiscation of passports and confinement within the villa, where workers slept in bunk beds in a windowless basement room. 

They were required to be on call at all times, even during trips to France and Monaco, under similar exploitative conditions.

Najib Ziazi, a business adviser for the family, was also found complicit in the exploitation. 

Romain Jordan, the Hindujas' lawyer, expressed the family's disappointment with the verdict and announced their intention to appeal. 

He stated that the family had "full faith in the judicial process and remains determined to defend themselves."

The Hinduja family, leading a multinational conglomerate with substantial holdings in various sectors, including real estate, automotive manufacturing, banking, oil and gas, and healthcare, faced significant public scrutiny during the trial. 

The lead prosecutor, Yves Bertossa, criticized the family for budgeting more for a pet than for a domestic worker’s salary, underscoring the stark disparity in how the workers were valued.

Despite the criminal case's outcome, a civil case involving the main accusers was settled confidentially last week, with the plaintiffs withdrawing their complaints. Details of the settlement remain undisclosed.

The Hinduja family, known for their immense wealth and properties, including a 25-bedroom residence in London and a five-star Raffles Hotel, faced a significant blow with this verdict. 

The case has cast a spotlight on the often hidden issue of domestic worker exploitation among the wealthy elite.

The Hinduja brothers, who lead the family conglomerate, have been entangled in various legal and familial disputes. 

The most senior brother, Srichand P Hinduja, who was also joint chairman of the Hinduja Group, passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy marred by internal family conflicts over control of assets.

This case marks a pivotal moment in holding powerful individuals accountable for the treatment of domestic workers, highlighting the need for stronger protections and enforcement of labor rights. 

The ruling serves as a reminder that wealth and status do not place anyone above the law, especially concerning the fundamental rights and dignity of workers.