Four members of the Hinduja family, the UK’s wealthiest family, are facing accusations in Switzerland for the treatment of their domestic help.
The allegations include exploitation and human trafficking, with claims that Indian slaves were underpaid, worked long hours, and had their passports taken.
The trial has revealed a dramatic contrast between the family’s alleged expenditure on their dog and the daily earnings of their slaves, with charges that they spent more money caring for their dog than on their employees.
The family has a villa in Geneva’s affluent district of Cologny, and the charges against them all stem from their practice of importing staff from India to care for their children and household.
It is said that Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, along with their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, took employees’ passports, paid them as little as $8 (£7) for 18-hour days, and gave them little freedom to leave the house.
Although a cash settlement for exploitation was reached last week, the Hindujas are still on trial for trafficking, a significant criminal violation in Switzerland.
They dispute the charges.
This week in court, Yves Bertossa, one of Geneva’s most prominent prosecutors, compared the nearly $10,000 a year he claimed the family spent on their dog to the daily amount they allegedly paid their staff.
The Hinduja family’s lawyers did not expressly reject the charges of low wages, but said they had to be considered in context, noting that the employees also received housing and food.
The charge of working long hours was also contested, with one defence counsel claiming that viewing a movie with the Hinduja children could not be classified as employment.
Some former servants testified for the Hindujas, characterising them as a nice family who treated their employees with respect.
However, reports that servants’ passports were confiscated and that they were unable to leave the house without permission are alarming because they may be interpreted as human trafficking.
Mr Bertossa is demanding prison time and millions of dollars in compensation, as well as legal fees.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
