It started on Monday Swiss Media investigation on four members of the world’s richest family United Kingdom, the Hindujas accused of human trafficking and exploitation of their employees at their villa on Lake Geneva. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence of up to five-and-a-half years.
Family members Hinduja, Prakash Y Kamalwith his son Ajay and his wife, Namrataare marked to bring from India Men and women worked as domestic servants in one of his Geneva mansions and were never paid US$8 per day for longer hours The working hours lasted from 3 pm to 6 pm. Besides, Their passports will be confiscated. A lawyer for the family has denied the allegations Bloomberg.
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For its part, Forbes He explained that Criminal investigation It started a few days later Hinduja Resolved a Civil suit By Exploitation of labour Issued by staff and details unknown. Six years after the civil suit was filed, the parties reached a settlement.
Confiscated passports, $8 wages and long hours
Under the parameters of Swiss law, the Accusation that workers Their passports were confiscated And that he cannot leave the house without permission Human trafficking can be a crime.
At the beginning of Monday’s hearing, the lawyer said Yves Perdoza He attacked the family citing the testimony of Indian employees and evidence gathered during the investigation.
““They spent more on a dog than on one of their servants.”He condemned BertosaAccording to Bloomberg.
The prosecutor revealed that one of the nannies earned just US$7.84 for an 18-hour work day.Pets” notes that the family spends more than 9,000 Swiss francs (US$10,000) annually to feed and care for one of their dogs.
Besides, The lawyer said that employee contracts do not specify working hours or holidays.. Instead, everyone should be available according to their employer’s needs.
Once your PassportsThe public prosecutor explained that servants were not allowed to leave the employer’s house without permission. He also said They were paid for their work in Indian Rupees Not in Swiss francs, the Alpine country’s currency, so they don’t have the freedom to move around. Swiss.
Hinduja’s extraordinary protection
Family lawyers Hinduja They did not deny the allegations of low wages, but appealed to questionable arguments to justify them. They also ensured that employees were always treated with respect and dignity, Bloomberg said.
Yale HyattLawyer Ajay HindujaHe said claims of an 18-hour workday were exaggerated and that workers’ food and lodging, paid for by the family, should be added to the $8-a-day salary.
“You cannot reduce (the concept of salary) what they paid in cash”Hayat said.
Regarding overtime, Hayat said: “If you sit down to watch a movie with your kids, can that be considered work? I don’t think so”.
To prove that their clients were not exploiters, the lawyers claimed that many of the victims had worked for the family several times, which, in their opinion, showed that they were satisfied with the working conditions.
Some ex-employees also testified for the defense HindujaWhom they described as a friendly family what He treated his employees with dignity, BBC Mundo noted.
Family members are not involved in hiring staff or day-to-day management, lawyers noted.
Another lawyer for the family, Romain Jordan, said in a statement to Forbes that the criminal charge was “excessive” and said there was a bias against the prosecutor. Hinduja: “No other family would have been treated like this. “Our clients are determined to defend themselves and have faith in the judiciary,” he said.
In addition to prison terms, prosecutors are seeking. Multi-million dollar compensation fund For staff members.
Hinduja family
According to BBC Mundo, the Hinduja They are from the first India They control a business group that bears their name, managing everything from construction companies, merchandise distributors and automakers to lubricant producers and banks.
The Hinduja Group was founded in 1914 by Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja It is part of what it is today Pakistan. At that time he started selling goods and then went into banking.
In 1919, Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja expanded its business up to IranIt worked until the Islamic Revolution in 1979, when they moved their operations. United Kingdom.
According to their website, today The Hinduja Group is one of the largest diversified conglomerates in the world and is present on all continents. It employs more than 200,000 people and has offices in many major cities of the world and major cities of India.
The business conglomerate is worth USD 47 billionAccording to BBC Mundo.
“The Hinduja family has always adapted to free market reforms, moving quickly into new markets that open up new economic opportunities and investing. As a result, the Hinduja Group is now active in old economy sectors such as banking and finance, mobility and energy, as well as in the new economy, technology, media and renewable energy sectors. Strategically positioned to contribute,” says the Hinduja Group website. Hinduja Group.
The review highlights that as well Hindujas are firm believers in traditional family values and have followed their founding philosophy and strived to instill the concept of family in their business enterprises.
In the United Kingdom, BBC Mundo reported that the family Hinduja Purchased valuable real estate properties.
In London, they own the Raffles Hotel, which opened in September 2023 and is located in the historic Old War Office building in Whitehall, the former Ministry of Defence. A few meters from 10 Downing StreetForbes magazine reported.
In addition, they own part of the exclusive Carlton House Terrace, a large building with offices, apartments and function rooms, and is located very close to Buckingham Palace.
In June 2020, BBC Mundo notes that a court file in the United Kingdom revealed that relations between the brothers were not as harmonious as previously thought.
The documents revealed that he had died SreeschandOne of the founder’s sons took on his younger brothers in court over ownership of a bank in Geneva.
