Hindujas: UK's Richest Family Jailed In Switzerland For Staff Exploitation

Four members of the UK's wealthiest family, the Hindujas, have been sentenced to jail in Switzerland for allegedly exploiting staff at their villa overlooking Lake Geneva. According to Bloomberg, Swiss authorities have sentenced Prakash Hinduja (78) and his wife Kamal Hinduja (75) – who did not attend the trial due to poor health--  each to four and a half years in prison. Meanwhile, Prakash's son Ajay Hinduja and his wife Namrata-- absent from the courtroom-- received four years. The fifth accused, Najib Ziazi, the Hinduja family's business manager, received an 18-month suspended sentence.

Why Are Hindujas Facing Jail Term?

On June 21, the billionaire Hinduja family was found guilty of taking advantage of staff hired in India, paying them wages that were only a fraction of the minimum rate in Switzerland. The four have been accused of confiscating their staff's passports, restricting their freedom to leave the premises without permission. This constitutes human trafficking in Switzerland.

It was also revealed during the trial the family spent much more on their pet dog's expenses than their staff. Swiss prosecutor Yves Bertossa stated that the family spent 8,584 Swiss francs (₹ 8,09,399) annually on their dog, whereas some staff allegedly worked up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, for as little as 7 Swiss francs (₹ 660) per day.

Moreover, the staff was paid in Indian currency, leaving them without money in Switzerland. The staff's contracts allegedly did not specify working hours or days off but required them to be available as needed by the family. While the family was found guilty of exploitation, the Swiss Court cleared the charges that they engaged in illegal human trafficking.

Family's Response

The Hindujas' representative, Romain Jordan, denied the accusations, saying the family treated their staff with respect and provided them with accommodation and meals as part of their compensation. The Hindujas also argued that the staff repeatedly returned to work for the family, allegedly showing that they were satisfied with their working conditions.

Ajay Hinduja refuted allegations that he forced an Indian nanny to work over 18 hours every day without leave. He asserted that the nanny was treated “like a second mum" to his children and called the accusations "idiotic", according to Bloomberg. Prosecutors have demanded 1 million Swiss francs for the staff's court costs and a 3.5 million francs compensation fund.

Who Are The Hindujas?

The founder of the Hinduja magnate is Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, who initiated a commodities-trading business in 1914 in British India's Sindh region. The business was quickly diversified by his four sons, Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok. According to Forbes, the Hinduja Group, an MNC conglomerate, was worth $20 billion as of November 2023.

The Hinduja group has businesses in industries from logistics to lubricants, banking and cable television. Forbes stated that the family was the seventh richest in India (2023), the 146th richest in the world in 2022, and dropped off the list in 2023. Gopichand Hinduja took over as chairman after Srichand passed away in 2023.