Britain's richest family get jail terms for exploiting Indian staff

Four members of Hinduja family said to have paid staff at their Swiss mansion a pittance

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A Swiss court handed jail sentences to four members of Britain's richest family on June 21 for exploiting the Indian staff at their Geneva mansion.

The Hindujas-who were not present in court-were acquitted of human trafficking, but convicted of other charges in a stunning verdict for the family, whose fortune is estimated at £37 billion (S$63.4 billion).

Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal each got four years and six months, while their son Ajay and his wife Namrata received four-year terms, the presiding judge in Geneva ruled.

The cases stem from the family's practice of bringing servants from their native India and included accusations of confiscating their passports once they were flown to Switzerland.

Prosecutors argued the family paid their staff a pittance and gave them little freedom to leave the house.