Britain’s richest family has been accused of spending more on a dog than a servant in a court statement by prosecutors. Billionaire Hinduja family is facing allegations of trafficking and abuse of staff at their Lake Geneva villa. According to prosecutors, the family made a servant work for up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, for a mere seven Swiss francs (£6.19).
Allegations by prosecutor
Prosecutor Yves Bertossa said in Geneva’s criminal court on Monday (Jun 17) that the family “spent more for one dog than one of their servants.”
He also referred to a budget document titled ‘Pets’, and claimed that the family spent 8,584 Swiss francs in a year on their family dog.
He added that the staff contract didn’t mention specific working hour details and the employees had to be available at any time on request.
According to the allegations, the passports of the staff were confiscated and they were not allowed to leave the house without the employer’s permission.
The lawsuit has been filed against four members of the Hinduja family: 78-year-old Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay and his wife Namrata.
On Monday, Ajay testified before the court and said he had no information about the employee and that the recruitment was handled by Hinduja group’s India arm. Prakash and Kamal didn’t appear in court citing poor health.
Response by the Hinduja family
Hinduja family’s attorneys have vehemently denied these claims, claiming the servants have been always treated with ‘dignity and respect.’ They accused the prosecutor of misleading the court by needless exaggeration.
“When they sit down to watch a movie with the kids, can that be considered work? I think not,” said Yael Hayat, a lawyer for family scion Ajay Hinduja.
She added how a staffer admitted that her pay in Geneva was better than what she was earning in India. The Geneva prosecutor’s office was conflating justice with social justice, the lawyer said.
The Hinduja Group, a mega-corporation owned by the Hinduja family, runs businesses in nearly twelve different areas like finance, IT, and infrastructure. They also possess valuable property in London, such as the Raffles Hotel located at the Old War Office in Whitehall, where the most expensive suite costs £25,000 per night. After SP Hinduja passed away last year, his brother Gopi has taken charge of the family’s businesses.
(With inputs from agencies)