A Swiss court, on Friday, found members of the UK’s wealthiest Hinduja family guilty of exploiting domestic workers at their opulent villa in Geneva. While charges of human trafficking were dropped, the court sentenced Prakash and Kamal Hinduja to four years and six months in prison, and Ajay and Namrata Hinduja to four years. Additionally, the family was ordered to pay approximately USD 950,000 in compensation and USD 300,000 in procedural fees.
The verdict followed accusations from prosecutors that four family members—Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata—had trafficked and exploited several workers from India. According to reports, the passports of the employees who were brought to work in Geneva, had been confiscated and they were forced to labor for up to 16 hours a day without overtime pay.
Najib Ziazi, a business adviser to the family, was also found to be a party in the exploitation of these labours. Romain Jordanwho was the lawyer for the family expressed their disappointment with the decision and announced that the family planned to appeal to a higher court. “The family has full faith in the judicial process and remains determined to defend themselves,” his statement read.
The Hinduja family is reportedly at the top of a huge multinational conglomerate that has its several significant interests in the fields of real estate, automotive manufacturing, banking, oil and gas, and healthcare. The trial, which began on June 10, saw lead prosecutor Yves Bertossa argue that the family prioritized the care of their pets over the fair compensation of their domestic workers.
According to the indictment, it was found that some of the workers, who had been handling child care and household chores at the Hinduja’s were paid a meagre amount of 10,000 rupees a month which is approximately USD 120. Additionally, Many of these workers were reported to belong to impoverished backgrounds in India who had been working from dawn until late at night without being compensated for their overtime duties. They received salaries below Geneva’s minimum wage for domestic workers, with payments deposited into Indian bank accounts that were difficult for them to access.
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Prosecutors alleged that the Hinduja family retained the workers’ passports and restricted their movements, forcing them to live in bunk beds in a windowless basement room. The workers were expected to be on call at all times, including during trips to France and Monaco, where they faced the same harsh conditions.
Jordan dismissed the allegations as “exaggerated and biased,” and before the verdict, he asserted, “The members of the Hinduja family vigorously deny these allegations.”
A civil case involving the main accusers was settled last week under confidential terms when the plaintiffs reportedly withdrew their complaints. However, in the criminal case, prosecutors sought sentences of up to five and a half years, along with substantial fines and compensation.
The Hinduja family has been led by the three brothers with their properties spanning across Europe and the UK. The family has been a prominent one in the world of Business in the United Kingdom since a very long time. They own several notable properties in London which includes a 25-bedroom residence and the five-star Raffles Hotel in the historic Old War Office.
