A Geneva court has commenced the trial of billionaire Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, their son Ajay, and his wife Namrata on charges related to human trafficking. If found guilty, the family members could face up to five years in prison. Bloomberg has reported that the Hinduja family is accused of exploiting household staff at their Lake Geneva villa, allegedly paying them as little as $8 for workdays that lasted between 15 to 18 hours, and confiscating their passports.

Additionally, Ajay Hinduja is under criminal investigation concerning Hinduja Bank, which, through cross-holdings, has an interest in India's IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank is promoted by IndusInd International Holdings Ltd (IIHL), based in Mauritius, which has 600 shareholders whose identities are not publicly known. It is suspected that Hinduja Bank in Switzerland is among the shareholders of the Mauritius holding company.

Despite the ongoing trial, the human trafficking charges proceeded even after the family reportedly settled with the household staff. According to Bloomberg, the settlement details were not disclosed, but an agreement was reached on Friday, six years after the civil suit was filed. The allegations involved paying staff, including childcare workers, far below local wage standards and forcing them to work excessively long hours.

The criminal charges focus on claims that the Hinduja family illegally transported staff in and out of Switzerland after confiscating their passports. Court proceedings revealed that the household staff were not permitted to leave the employer's residence without permission and were paid in India, leaving them without Swiss currency and restricting their freedom during their stay in Switzerland. Hinduja's lawyers argued that the claims of 18-hour workdays were exaggerated and that the wages, reported to be under $8 per day, did not account for the fact that food and lodging were provided by the family.

Allegations of Fraud at Hinduja Bank

Geneva prosecutors issued a criminal order against Ajay Hinduja in December 2019 related to an account at Hinduja Bank. Ajay is accused of falsely declaring himself as the beneficial owner of the account, which was opened in 2008 and reportedly controlled by a woman associated with the family.

The Hinduja family, one of Europe’s wealthiest, is embroiled in a significant dispute over the ownership of Hinduja Bank. The four Hinduja brothers claim joint ownership of the bank, following a 2014 declaration. This dispute is being addressed in courts in the UK, Switzerland, and private hearings in Jersey. Since SP Hinduja's death last year, his brother Gopi has taken over the family's business operations.

Amid this family feud, Ashok Hinduja has attempted to acquire Reliance Capital but has missed three deadlines to secure Rs 9850 crores for the acquisition. The bid was made by IIHL, which has failed to arrange the necessary funds and altered the deal structure at the last minute. IIHL is now seeking an extension for the deal deadline, though Indian authorities are hesitant to grant this without imposing an interest penalty.