Why The Hindujas, UK's Wealthiest Family, Face Jail Term In Switzerland

The Hindujas, the wealthiest family in the UK, face around four-year jail terms for exploiting their Indian employees at their Geneva villa. A Swiss judge has found four members of the family guilty of illegal employment, which has been challenged in a higher court.

The court on Friday branded the Hindujas "selfish" after the prosecutors made charges of inhuman treatment being meted out to the staff, who were taken from India to work as domestic helps at their family mansion.

It ordered four years and six months' jail term to Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal Hinduja, and handed their son Ajay and his Namrata four-year terms each. The court, however, acquitted them of a more serious charge of human trafficking.

The Hindujas' fortunes is estimated to be around $47 billion and own the Hinduja Group conglomerate, whose businesses ranging from oil and gas, banking, and healthcare are present in 38 countries.

During the trial, prosecutors had alleged the Hindujas paid their staff only $8 (Rs 660) for working up to 18 hours a day. This was less than a tenth of the minimum wage under Swiss law.

The family also confiscated their passport and rarely allowed them to leave the villa in Geneva's wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny, they alleged.

They spent more on their dog than on their servants, the prosecutors told the court. The family spent around 8,584 Swiss francs (Rs 8 lakh) on their dog every year whereas some of their staff worked up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, for just 7 Swiss francs (Rs 660) per day, Swiss prosecutor Yves Bertossa had stated.

The Hindujas had denied the allegations and said their employees could freely leave the villa and received ample benefits. The defence argued that the staff were "grateful" to the Hindujas for "offering them a better life."

The family said in statement they were "appalled" by the verdict and have filed a challenge in a higher court.

"We are appalled and disappointed by the rest of the decision made in this court of first instance, and we have of course filed an appeal to the higher court thereby making this part of the judgement not effective," said a statement signed by the lawyers of the Hindujas.

The Hindujas had earlier reached an out-of-court settlement with the three employees who had made the accusations against them, but the prosecution went ahead with it due to the gravity of the charges.

Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, both in their 70s, did not attend the court due to health reasons. Ajay and Namrata had attended the trial but were not present on Friday to hear the verdict.