UK's Richest Family Spent More on Dog Than Their Servant.

[Social Media]

 

Britain's wealthiest family, the Hinduja family, has come under intense scrutiny as allegations of severe exploitation of their domestic staff have surfaced in a Geneva court. Prosecutors revealed shocking disparities in their spending, highlighting that the family spent more on their pet dog than on the wages of a servant. This revelation comes amidst accusations of trafficking and exploitation involving four family members.

 

The servant in question was reportedly paid a mere seven Swiss francs (£6.19) to work up to 18 hours a day, seven days a week. In stark contrast, a budget document labeled “Pets” indicated that the family spent 8,584 Swiss francs in a year on their dog. The Hinduja family, with an estimated net worth of £37 billion, is facing serious legal consequences. Prosecutor Yves Bertossa has called for prison sentences of up to five-and-a-half years for the accused family members and demanded that they pay 3.5 million Swiss francs to a compensation fund for staff, along with 1 million Swiss francs in court costs.

 

The allegations against the family include claims that staff contracts did not specify working hours or days off, and that employee passports were confiscated, restricting their ability to leave the house without permission. The lawsuit targets four family members: Prakash Hinduja, 78, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and his wife Namrata.

 

Defense lawyers for the Hinduja family have dismissed the accusations, citing testimonies from workers who claimed they were treated with dignity and respect. Ajay Hinduja's lawyer, Yael Hayat, argued that the overall compensation for staff included board and lodging, and that cash salaries alone did not fully represent the value of their pay. Hayat also contested the claim of 18-hour workdays, suggesting that time spent watching movies with the children, for example, should not be considered work.

 

Ajay Hinduja testified that he was not fully aware of the employees' working conditions, as recruitment was managed by the Hinduja Group in India. He stated that the family has since reformed their hiring practices, now employing staff locally through third-party agencies and ensuring formal payment structures.

 

 

The Hinduja family, renowned for their vast wealth and influence, were ranked as Britain’s richest family by the Sunday Times Rich List, with a net worth of £37.2 billion. The family's patriarch, Srichand Hinduja, who passed away in 2023, was instrumental in building the family’s business empire. This empire includes a range of companies in India across sectors such as banking, commercial vehicle sales, and chemicals. In the UK, the family owns several high-value properties, including a historic 18th-century home near Buckingham Palace and the Old War Office building in Whitehall.

 

They also hold interests in parts of the defunct British motoring giant British Leyland. The Hinduja family's business origins date back to 1914 when Parmanand Hinduja, the family’s founder, began trading spices, carpets, and tea in British India, in what is now Pakistan. The family expanded internationally, opening a branch in Iran in 1919. However, they were forced to relocate their operations to London following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Srichand and Gopichand co-chaired the group from London, while Prakash managed operations in Switzerland, and Ashok handled the Indian branch. Their wealth primarily stems from exports of oil and telecommunications equipment, as well as their business of dubbing Hindi films into Persian for the Iranian market.

 

The legal proceedings in Geneva have cast a shadow over the family's reputation, drawing attention to the stark contrasts in their lavish lifestyle and the alleged mistreatment of their employees. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the Hinduja family and their vast business empire.

 

Credit: Independent | Daily Beast 2024-06-20

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[thaibeachlovers]

Is anyone surprised?

Continuing the British upper class tradition of exploiting the peasants, IMO.

 

[JonnyF]

49 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is anyone surprised?

Continuing the British upper class tradition of exploiting the peasants, IMO.

 

 

Yeah, let's use this to bash the Brits!!! 

 

More likely the Indian/Hindu caste system has been ingrained in the family for centuries, where it is perfectly acceptable to treat those of a lower caste with utter disdain.

 

Let's blame the Brits for many British Muslims forcing their women to wear the Hijab while we're at it. Or for their intolerance of homosexuality. For their antisemitism. Yeah, those terrible traditional British values!!!

 

It's normal that when you bring other cultures to Britain, you bring the bad as well as the good. The only thing you can blame the Brits for is allowing immigration to get out of hand. 

 

 

[bendejo]

The ex worked 2 jobs, and wouldn't give a dime to a blind beggar.  Occasionally she would send a check to the Doris Day Home for Wayward Animals (this was in the 1980s).  Go figure.

 

[stevenl]

41 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Yeah, let's use this to bash the Brits!!! 

 

More likely the Indian/Hindu caste system has been ingrained in the family for centuries, where it is perfectly acceptable to treat those of a lower caste with utter disdain.

 

Let's blame the Brits for many British Muslims forcing their women to wear the Hijab while we're at it. Or for their intolerance of homosexuality. For their antisemitism. Yeah, those terrible traditional British values!!!

 

It's normal that when you bring other cultures to Britain, you bring the bad as well as the good. The only thing you can blame the Brits for is allowing immigration to get out of hand. 

 

 

So this is about British immigrants wearing a hijab. 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is anyone surprised?

Continuing the British upper class tradition of exploiting the peasants, IMO.

 

I think you hit a nerve.

[Chomper Higgot]

5 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So this is about British immigrants wearing a hijab. 

Isn’t everything?!

[JonnyF]

23 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Isn’t everything?!

 

30 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So this is about British immigrants wearing a hijab. 

 

 No doubt you support the subjugation of women in this way, all in the name of diversity of course. 😃

[Chomper Higgot]

35 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

 

 No doubt you support the subjugation of women in this way, all in the name of diversity of course. 😃

We should have a thread on that.

[JonnyF]

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

We should have a thread on that.

 

Yes that would get your post count up.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

For their antisemitism.

What makes you think Brits are antisemitic? 

[JonnyF]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

What makes you think Brits are antisemitic? 

 

I don't. Most aren't, although there are a few exceptions on the left, many in the Labour party. 

 

My comment was referring to Muslim immigrants bringing their own brand of antisemitism into Britain as seen at the recent Pro Palestine rallys in London. 

 

I believe it's known as "cultural enrichment". 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

 

 No doubt you support the subjugation of women in this way, all in the name of diversity of course. 😃

Were the servants being exploited women?

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

 

 No doubt you support the subjugation of women in this way, all in the name of diversity of course. 😃

Just where in the topic is anti semitism mentioned? You are deflecting to something that has nothing to do with the topic.

[JonnyF]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just where in the topic is anti semitism mentioned? You are deflecting to something that has nothing to do with the topic.

 

I'm talking about how immigrants sometimes bring with them attitudes and beliefs that are not desirable to most of the UK population.

 

Whether that be Hindus treating their lower caste servants like dirt or Muslims with their homophobic/sexist/antisemitic views. 

 

Terribly sorry if the link between the two wasn't clear to you. 

 

 

[spidermike007]

This kind of behavior demonstrates a high degree of moral depravity, and a complete loss of perspective. These people are in a position to make life better for countless souls who need help, not the polar opposite. House help, and employees provide necessary work, and it is hard work. They should be honored, not abused.

 

This happens in many areas, the middle east being the worst, from what I hear, read and am told. No honor among thieves, nor most billionaires. There are exceptions, but not many.

 

I hope these absolute heathens get locked up.

[rudi49jr]

Reminds me of a story that came out in the 1970’s about the then Dutch queen Juliana. It turned out that for decades, she had been systematically underpaying her servants, as she firmly believed that it was ‘an honor’ for them to work for her, so she had every right to pay them less than minimum wage.

It was not as if she couldn’t afford to pay them a decent wage, though, since the Dutch royal family was/is quite rich. Just goes to show in what kind of world many of these rich and entitled people live.

[Purdey]

Why so much interest in rich people? Starting to look like the Daily Express here.

[animalmagic]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Is anyone surprised?

Continuing the British upper class tradition of exploiting the peasants, IMO.

 

The family are Indian and 2 of them managed part of the business from UK.

The employee abusing member of the family lived in Switzerland and committed the crimes there.

The staff were recruited by the Indian arm of the group in India.

Please explain how we get to a broad attack on the British upper class?

[Red Forever]

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

So this is about British immigrants wearing a hijab. 

It is according to the spokesperson for the master race.

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

Reminds me of a story that came out in the 1970’s about the then Dutch queen Juliana. It turned out that for decades, she had been systematically underpaying her servants, as she firmly believed that it was ‘an honor’ for them to work for her, so she had every right to pay them less than minimum wage.

It was not as if she couldn’t afford to pay them a decent wage, though, since the Dutch royal family was/is quite rich. Just goes to show in what kind of world many of these rich and entitled people live.

Any sources for this? I can't find any 

[JonnyF]

16 hours ago, Red Forever said:

It is according to the spokesperson for the master race.

 

Good to see you supporting this oppressive, misogynistic practice.

 

In the name of diversity of course 😃.

[john donson]

who did they employ for that price, disgusting

[Emdog]

"UK's Richest Family Spent More on Dog Than Their Servant."

That's to be expected. Why should servent spend anything on their dog? (aka poorly worded headline)

[stevenl]

Verdict is in 

https://apnews.com/article/hinduja-switzerland-geneva-human-trafficking-exploitation-india-b0a40f9872ea096c4722754c1267490b?user_email=b7f6ffaa26bd566b13fa9916085a50f0f6dac8bce4f1c2e06919061d0bf3e17a&utm_medium=Afternoon_Wire&utm_source=Sailthru_AP&utm_campaign=AfternoonWire_June21_2024&utm_term=Afternoon Wire

Edited June 22 by stevenl