Pankaj Oswal, a renowned Swiss industrialist of Indian origin, has alleged that his 26-year-old daughter, Vasundhara Oswal, has been illegally imprisoned in Uganda. In an open letter to the Ugandan President, the industrialist also claimed that his daughter is being denied basic rights and access to family or legal representation.
According to Oswal, Vasundhara, executive director of PRO Industries, has been detained without trial since October 1. Oswal claims the charges against his daughter stem from a former employee taking a loan of $200,000 from the family. His family, acting as guarantors for the loan, refused to repay it and instead filed false allegations against Vasundhara in an attempt to escape their financial obligations. This individual escaped from Uganda and was later apprehended in Tanzania with evidence of the theft. Despite this, Vasundhara has been unjustly accused, and the legal process has been manipulated against her.
Oswal has filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, stating that Vasundhara was interrogated under degrading conditions and held for over 90 hours without access to legal counsel or family. Despite a court order for her unconditional release, the police have reportedly slapped inadmissible charges to prevent her release on bail.
“Vasundhara was detained on October 1st, interrogated under degrading conditions, and held for over 90 hours without access to legal counsel, family, or basic rights,” the family said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}“Vasundhara was detained on October 1st, interrogated under degrading conditions, and held for over 90 hours without access to legal counsel, family, or basic rights,” the family said in a statement.
{{/usCountry}}“She was paraded as a suspect, stripped of her dignity, and isolated in prison despite her medical condition. Despite a court order for her unconditional release the police did not let her go, instead they slapped inadmissible charges on a Friday evening in a lower court so that she could not even get bail,” the statement read.
Vasundhara's mother, Radhika Oswal, speaking to an EU reporter said, "This is every mother’s nightmare. My young daughter has been thrown into a foreign jail. She has been stripped of her basic human rights and her dignity. Vasundhara is an innocent bystander. All I want is her safety, and for her to be back in my arms."
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Vasundhara Oswal's business acumen
According to a report, Vasundhara Oswal is credited with several expansion projects in PRO Industries and has also helped reduce debt and launched new sustainability initiatives. Her role at the company involves investment agency, finance management, and government liaisoning, according to the company's website.