Swiss-Indian industrialist Pankaj Oswal’s 26-year-old Vasundhara Oswal was reportedly detained unlawfully in Uganda. oswal has filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations after his daughter,
The incident occurred on October 1 when Vasundhara was allegedly seized by around 20 armed men without identification or a warrant at the family’s extra-neutral alcohol (ENA) plant in Luwero. Local officials have linked her detention to a missing persons investigation, a claim her family strongly disputes.
Vasundhara has taken to social media to describe her experience during the more than 90 hours of detention. She stated that she was not allowed to contact her family or legal representatives, with authorities confiscating her phone.
In a chilling post on her Instagram, she detailed the appalling conditions, which included being forced to sit among shoes and being denied basic necessities such as food, clean water, and proper hygiene. She described enduring a lack of sleep on a small bench, suffering from anxiety attacks, and being subjected to a “suspect parade.”
Corporate Jealousy?
Her brother alleged that her detention stems from corporate jealousy from a 68-year-old rival who feels threatened by her rapid success in establishing a $110 million ENA plant from humble beginnings in just three years. He accused this rival of attempting to tarnish her reputation and extort money from the Oswal family.
Reports suggest that despite a court order for her release, Vasundhara was taken to court, where she was charged with serious offenses, including kidnapping.
Pankaj Oswal Appeals To UN
Pankaj Oswal’s appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) aims to highlight the misuse of police power and the urgent need for intervention regarding his daughter’s situation.
Vasundhara’s mother, Radhika Oswal, has also reached out to the Ugandan government, pleading for her daughter’s safety and decrying the violation of her basic human rights and dignity. “My young daughter has been thrown into a foreign jail. She is an innocent bystander,” Radhika stated.
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