Vasundhara Oswal Talks About Her Ordeal In Uganda Last October
Vasundhara Oswal, daughter of Indian-origin billionaire Pankaj Oswal, has recounted her traumatic experience of being jailed in Uganda on charges of kidnapping and attempted murder, despite the alleged victim, Mukesh Menaria, later being found alive in Tanzania. Oswal described her ordeal as a violation of her human rights, detailing her forced detention, lack of legal representation, and alleged corruption that prolonged her imprisonment.
According to Oswal, she was detained for five days before being transferred to prison, where she spent two weeks under harsh conditions. She, while talking to Indian news agency Press Trust of India, claimed Ugandan authorities violated due process, conducting a search of her premises without a warrant and forcibly taking her to Interpol under false pretenses. Once there, she was pressured into giving a statement without the presence of a criminal lawyer. When her family sought a police bond, they were asked to pay $30,000 along with her passport, yet she remained detained. Even after obtaining an unconditional release order from the courts, Oswal was held for another 72 hours before being formally charged.
On 1 October 2024, Vasundhara Oswal was arrested while visiting a plant operated by PRO Industries, a company owned by her father, in Uganda. The arrest stemmed from allegations that she had kidnapped Menaria, a former employee of the Oswal family. On 9 October, she and her lawyer, Rita Ngabire, were formally charged and remanded to Nakasongola prison.
Her family, including her younger sister Riddhi, launched a social media campaign highlighting the conditions she faced in prison, describing unhygienic facilities and an environment where she was forced to share space with convicted criminals. Riddhi posted images of Vasundhara’s prison cell, including a toilet covered in blood and faeces. Their father, Pankaj Oswal, appealed to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, while their mother, Radhika Oswal, made emotional appeals to the Ugandan government for her daughter’s release.
The Oswal family has alleged that Ugandan authorities were influenced by business competitors who sought to keep Vasundhara imprisoned. They claimed that multiple lawyers hired to handle her case were paid off to delay her bail application or prevent her from appearing in court. Despite these obstacles, Vasundhara was granted bail on 21 October.
The case took a dramatic turn when Menaria was located in Tanzania, contradicting the initial charges of kidnapping and attempted murder. However, Ugandan authorities continued to pursue the case, refusing to release Vasundhara immediately. The Oswals accused the Ugandan police of extorting large sums of money in exchange for bail, allegations that the authorities have denied, challenging the family to provide evidence of bribery.
PRO Industries had been investing $100 million in an Extra-Neutral Alcohol (ENA) plant in Uganda, but the family’s business interests in the country have now been put on hold due to Vasundhara’s legal troubles. The case has also drawn international scrutiny, with human rights lawyer Cherie Blair taking up the Oswal family’s case, filing an urgent appeal to the United Nations.
Ugandan prison officials dismissed claims of mistreatment, arguing that cleaning duties in jail were standard procedure and did not violate Vasundhara’s rights. Frank Baine, a spokesperson for Uganda Prisons, challenged Pankaj Oswal to provide proof of the alleged $370 million shillings he claimed to have paid to improve his daughter’s detention conditions.
The case has further strained the Oswals’ relationship with Uganda. Once seen as significant investors in the country’s industrial sector, they now face legal battles that could impact their future business plans. Pankaj Oswal’s open letter to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni called for an end to what he described as “unjust persecution.” The family maintains that the charges against Vasundhara were fabricated as part of a corporate vendetta.
This incident is not the first time the Oswals have been embroiled in controversy. The family was previously accused of financial misconduct in Australia, where they faced allegations of siphoning off $150 million from Burrup Fertilisers. The Australian authorities also ordered the demolition of their 16-bedroom mansion in Perth due to legal disputes.
Despite these allegations, the Oswals have built a reputation for their opulence, owning one of the world’s most expensive homes in Switzerland. Vasundhara, who has spoken against racism and patriarchy in public forums, has frequently appeared in lifestyle magazines alongside her sister. However, her recent ordeal in Uganda has shifted attention away from their lavish lifestyle to a legal battle that has tested the limits of international law and human rights.
As the case unfolds, the Oswals continue to seek justice for Vasundhara, with their legal team pushing for international intervention. The outcome of this case could have wider implications, not only for the family’s business ventures but also for Uganda’s foreign investment climate. Meanwhile, Vasundhara, who once described her family’s Swiss villa as “a little India away from India,” now awaits a resolution that could allow her to return home.
