Five shocking points from the Hinduja family trial

Four members of the Hinduja family, Britain's richest, are on trial for human trafficking in Switzerland for grossly underpaying an Indian domestic helper at their Lake Geneva villa. It has been argued that they spent more on their dog than on the wages of an Indian maid.

The prosecution's arguments in court revealed five shocking facts, including the fact that three other complainants withdrew their complaints.

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The Hindujas, who have vehemently denied the allegations, face up to five and a half months in prison if found guilty. The human trafficking trial targets Prakash Hinduja, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay and his wife Namrata.

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

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

1) SPENT MORE ON A PET DOG THAN HELP SALARY

The prosecution claims the Hindujas paid just seven Swiss francs (around £6.19) to an Indian maid for an 18-hour working day, while spending 8,584 francs (£7,616) a year on their pet dog.

Prosecutor Yves Bertossa asked the family to cover 1 million francs in legal costs and pay 3.5 million francs to a staff compensation fund.

Defense attorneys said salaries alone did not reflect staff's overall compensation and benefits, arguing that staff were being accommodated.

A lawyer also claimed that an employee said her salary was good compared to what she earned in India. The woman came to work in Geneva of her own free will and returned again and again, the lawyer added, according to the Daily Mail.

2) HINDUJAS SEIZE THE PASSPORT OF THEIR INDIAN AID

The Hindujas allegedly seized the Indian servant's passport, prosecutors told a Swiss court.

The family members face human trafficking charges that center around allegations they smuggled staff in and out of Switzerland after confiscating their passports, according to the Daily Mail.

Domestic helpers could not leave the house without their employer's permission and had little or no freedom, they claimed.

3) PAID IN INDIA, HAD NO MONEY IN SWITZERLAND

The Swiss prosecution claimed that the Hindujas paid Indian domestic help in India and in Indian currency. This ensured that the person was left stranded without any local currency in Switzerland.

“They were paid for their work in India, which means that they had no Swiss money and therefore limited freedom in the country,” said the prosecution, quoted by the Daily Mail.

4) EXTRA LONG 18 HOUR WORK DAYS

The prosecution claimed that the Hindujas forced Indian domestic helpers to work 18 hours a day and that staff contracts did not specify working hours or days off because those employed had to be available as needed.

However, the defense team argued that the prosecution had been misleading in its characterization of workers' pay and had “exaggerated” work schedules.

“When they sit down to watch a movie with the kids, can that be considered work? I don't think so,” said Ajay Hinduja's lawyer, Yael Hayat.

5) THREE OTHERS GOT SETTLEMENT OUT OF COURT

As the prosecution tried to pin the four Hindujas in the Indian domestic help case, its arguments revealed that there were at least three other complainants.

The case, reportedly, follows a recent settlement in which three plaintiffs withdrew their civil suit against the Hindujas, the Daily Mail reported.