Four of UK's richest family given jail time for exploiting Indian servants in Switzerland
Four members of the UK's richest family have been sentenced to jail for exploiting servants they brought from India to work at their Geneva villa.
A Swiss court sentenced Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, as well as their son Ajay and his wife Namrata, after finding them guilty of exploitation and illegal employment.
All four were handed sentences ranging from four to four-and-a-half years, reports the BBC.
They were all acquitted of the more serious charge of human trafficking, and their lawyers have announced plans to appeal.
Prakash, chairman of the Hinduja Group, a transnational multi-industry conglomerate, is worth £37 billion
The family has had a presence in Britain since the 1970s, with roots in India and business operations in Switzerland. They also own the Raffles Hotel in London.
Now in his late seventies, Prakash currently resides in Dubai and did not attend the hearings due to health reasons. Ajay and Namrata Hinduja were present in court for the trial but were not there for the verdict.
Three workers claimed they were brought from their native India and paid £7 per day to work up to 18 hours while their passports were also confiscated.
The pay was less than one tenth of the Swiss minimum wage.
Prosecutors said the servants were rarely able to leave their confines and spent more on their dog than on their care.
Robert Assael, the lawyer for the defendants, told the media: "I'm shocked. We're going to fight it to the bitter end."
