The Hindujas reached a confidential out-of-court settlement with the three workers who made the accusations towards them.
Regardless of this, the prosecution determined to pursue the case because of the gravity of the costs.
Geneva prosecutor Yves Bertossa had requested a custodial sentence of five-and-a-half years towards Prakash and Kamal Hinduja.
Aged 78 and 75 respectively, each had been absent for the reason that begin of the trial for well being causes.
In his closing handle, the prosecutor accused the household of abusing the “asymmetrical scenario” between highly effective employer and susceptible worker to economize.
Family employees have been paid a wage between 220 francs and 400 francs (US$250 to US$450) a month, far beneath what they might anticipate to earn in Switzerland.
“NOT MISTREATED SLAVES”
However the Hinduja household’s defence legal professionals argued that the three plaintiffs acquired ample advantages, weren’t saved in isolation and have been free to go away the villa.
“We aren’t coping with mistreated slaves,” Nicolas Jeandin instructed the court docket.
Certainly, the staff “have been grateful to the Hindujas for providing them a greater life”, his fellow lawyer Robert Assael argued.
Representing Ajay Hinduja, lawyer Yael Hayat had slammed the “extreme” indictment, arguing the trial ought to be a query of “justice, not social justice”.
Namrata Hinduja’s lawyer Romain Jordan additionally pleaded for acquittal, claiming the prosecutors have been aiming to make an instance of the household.
He argued the prosecution had failed to say funds made to employees on high of their money salaries.
“No worker was cheated out of his or her wage,” Assael added.
Some employees even requested for raises, which they acquired.
With pursuits in oil and gasoline, banking and healthcare, the Hinduja Group is current in 38 nations and employs round 200,000 individuals.
“They’re benefiting from the distress of the world,” Bertossa instructed the court docket.
