“Prakash Hinduja and Three Family Members Receive 4.5-Year Jail Terms from Swiss Court”
In a significant legal development, Prakash Hinduja, an Indian-born business tycoon, along with three family members, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison by a Swiss court. The charges stem from their exploitation of domestic workers at their lakeside villa in Geneva, Switzerland.
In a significant legal development, Prakash Hinduja, an Indian-born business tycoon, along with three family members, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison by a Swiss court. The charges stem from their exploitation of domestic workers at their lakeside villa in Geneva, Switzerland.
The court, however, dismissed severe allegations of human trafficking against the Hinduja family. Along with Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, son Ajay, and daughter-in-law Namrata were accused of trafficking their servants, primarily illiterate Indians working at their Geneva residence.
The court found the Hindujas guilty of exploiting their workers by providing unauthorized employment, withholding passports, paying wages in rupees instead of Swiss Francs, and imposing long working hours without adequate breaks. The employees reported working up to 18 hours a day with minimal vacation time and low wages that violated Swiss labor laws.
Najib Ziazi, the family’s business manager, received an 18-month suspended sentence in connection with the case.
Last week, reports emerged that the Hindujas had reached an undisclosed settlement with the plaintiffs, possibly related to the case.
Swiss authorities have already seized valuable assets, including diamonds, rubies, and jewelry, from the Hindujas, anticipating that these assets might be used for legal fees and penalties.
The prosecution’s case included allegations of a hostile work environment, with employees forced to sleep in the villa’s basement, a climate of fear perpetuated by Kamal Hinduja, and wages paid in Indian currency, inaccessible to the workers in Switzerland.
The verdict marks a significant legal outcome in the ongoing case, highlighting the consequences of exploiting domestic workers and violating labor laws in Switzerland.
Sources By Agencies
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