In a shocking development, four members of the billionaire Hinduja family, renowned for their vast multinational arrangement, are facing serious allegations of human trafficking and worker exploitation.
Story: Anjali Soni
Geneva, Switzerland – In an explosive turn of events, four members of the billionaire Hinduja family, celebrated for their global business empire, now face severe charges of human trafficking and exploitation.
Charges:
- ● Forced labour up to 18 hours a day without breaks.
- ● Substantial underpayment, in some cases less than pet expenses.
- Allegations:
- ● Confiscation of staff passports.
- ● Employment on short-term tourist visas obtained under false pretences.
- ● Illegally renewed visas bypassing Swiss regulations.
Ajay Hinduja, along with his parents Prakash and Kamal, and his wife Namrata, have been indicted by Geneva prosecutors. The charges include forcing staff to work up to 18 hours a day without breaks, and underpaying them substantially, in some cases less than what they spent on their pets.
According to the prosecution, the family seized the passports of its workers and hired them using fictitious short-term tourist visas. The employees allegedly held French-issued Schengen-zone visas, which do not permit long-term employment in Switzerland, and these visas were renewed unlawfully, circumventing appropriate Swiss requirements.The family, which has Indian ancestry, was revealed to have struck an undisclosed deal with the complainants last week in criminal court. Prosecutors in Geneva began the case on charges of human trafficking, exploitation, and breaking Swiss labour regulations.
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The family moved to Switzerland many years ago, and Prakash was found guilty in 2007 of similar, if minor, offences. However, according to the prosecution, he continued to hire people without the necessary documentation.
Swiss prosecutor Yves Bertossa claims that the family paid one of their maids less money than they did for their pet dog. During a case involving the purported trafficking and exploitation of Indian employees, Bertossa provided this information.
The prosecutor had given a harsh assessment of the Hinduja family’s conduct on Monday, suggesting that those responsible receive prison terms of up to five and a half years. Testimonies from the staff and the Hindujas themselves, along with information acquired throughout Bertossa’s study into the situation, served as the foundation for his claims. “They spent more for one dog than one of their servants,” he stated. According to him, the woman received as little as 7 Swiss francs ($7.84) for an eighteen-hour workday, seven days a week. He showed a budget document with the header “Pets” and said it revealed that the family’s annual dog expenses came to 8,584 Swiss francs.
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Despite ongoing negotiations for a settlement that could see the complaints withdrawn, the criminal trial is expected to proceed, potentially resulting in severe legal repercussions and impacting the Hinduja family’s global business interests.
This unfolding scandal serves as a critical reminder of the importance of ethical labour practices and the need for robust enforcement of international labour laws.
