Five shocking points from Hinduja family trial

Four members of the Hinduja family, Britain's wealthiest, are being tried for human trafficking in Switzerland over charges that they grossly underpaid an Indian domestic help at their Lake Geneva villa. It was argued that they spent more on their dog than on the salary of an Indian domestic help.

The prosecution's arguments in court have revealed five shocking facts, including that there were three more plaintiffs who withdrew their case.

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The Hindujas, who have vehemently denied the allegations, face up to five and a half years in prison if convicted.

The human trafficking trial is against Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay, and his wife Namrata.

Prosecutor Yves Bertossa asked the court to hand five and a half years in prison to Prakash and his wife, while he sought four-a-half-year term for Ajay and his wife, according to The Daily Mail.

Prakash and Kamal Hinduja, aged 78 and 75, did not attend the trial, citing health issues. Prosecutor Yves Bertossa criticised their absence, suggesting they could have managed a short flight from Cannes to Geneva.

Here are the five shocking details that have been revealed by the prosecution against the Hindujas.

1) SPENT MORE ON PET DOG THAN ON HELP'S SALARY

The prosecution claims the Hindujas paid an Indian domestic help just seven Swiss francs (approximately £6.19) for an 18-hour workday, while spending 8,584 francs (£7,616) on their pet dog annually.

Prosecutor Yves Bertossa has demanded the family cover 1 million francs in court costs and pay 3.5 million francs into a compensation fund for the staff.

The defence lawyers said salaries alone did not reflect the overall pay and benefits for staff, arguing that the staff were provided with lodgings.

A lawyer also claimed that a staffer said her pay was good compared to what she earned in India. The woman came to the job in Geneva of her own free will, and came back again and again, the lawyer added, according to The Daily Mail.

2) HINDUJAS SEIZED PASSPORT OF THEIR INDIAN HELP

The Hindujas allegedly seized the passport of the Indian domestic help, the prosecution claimed in a Swiss court.

The family members are facing human trafficking charges which centre around claims they illegally brought staff in and out of Switzerland after confiscating their passports, according to The Daily Mail.

The domestic helps couldn’t leave the house without their employer’s permission and had little to no freedom, they argued.

3) PAID IN INDIA, DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY IN SWITZERLAND

The Swiss prosecution team has alleged that the Hindujas paid for Indian domestic help in India and in Indian currency. This ensured that the person was hamstrung without any local currency in Switzerland.

"They were paid for their work in India, meaning they had no Swiss money and therefore limited freedom in the country," The Daily Mail quoted the prosecution as saying.

4) EXTRA-LONG 18-HOUR WORKDAYS

The prosecution claimed that the Indian domestic help was made to work 18 hours a day by the Hindujas, and that the staff contracts didn’t specify working hours or days off as those employed had to be available as needed.

However, the defence team argued that the prosecution had been misleading in its characterization of the workers' pay and had "exaggerated" working hours.

"When they sit down to watch a movie with the kids, can that be considered work? I think not," Ajay Hinduja's attorney Yael Hayat said.

5) SOME OTHERS WENT FOR OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT

While the prosecution tried to nail the four Hindujas in the case of the Indian domestic help, its argument revealed there were at least two other plaintiffs.

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The case, according to reports, follows a recent settlement where three plaintiffs withdrew their civil suit against the Hindujas, reported the Daily Mail.

A financial settlement over exploitation was reached last week, reports the BBC. The Hindujas are being tried for human trafficking, a serious criminal offence in Switzerland, says the BBC.