‘Business Fraud’: Indian-origin Industrialist Pankaj Oswal Sues Daughter Held Illegally In Uganda

Prominent Indian businessman Pankaj Oswal says his 26-year-old daughter has been illegally detained in Uganda. According to Oswal, his daughter has been detained without trial since October 1 for “business and political fraud”.

Pankaj said his daughter, Vasundhara Oswal, executive director of PRO Industries, was framed on false charges by a former employee, who had stolen valuables and was loaned $200,000 with Oswal’s family as donors.

When the Oswal family refused to repay the loan, it was said that they faced false allegations aimed at evading financial obligations. Although the worker has been arrested in Tanzania, Vasundhara is illegally accused of kidnapping and attempted murder, according to her father.

A Swiss industrialist has submitted an urgent request to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, seeking international intervention in this matter. He stated that Vasundhara was interrogated under inappropriate conditions and detained for more than 90 hours without access to a lawyer or family. Although the court ordered that he be released unconditionally, it is reported that the police filed unacceptable charges so that he could not be released on bail.

“Not allowing him to contact his family and lawyers and taking away his phone caused him to suffer anxiety attacks, which they did not accept. All this while he was illegally arrested without any evidence against him,” said the family in a post on Vasundhara’s Instagram account.

Pankaj also wrote an open letter to the President of Uganda, asking him to intervene. In a further effort to secure her daughter’s release, Oswal has teamed up with prominent human rights lawyer Cherie Blair CBE, KC, whose office has called Vasundhara’s treatment a violation of domestic and international law.

Vasundhara’s mother, Radhika Oswal, speaking to an EU the reporter said, “This is every mother’s nightmare. My youngest daughter was thrown into a foreign prison. He has been deprived of his basic rights and dignity. Vasundhara is an excellent host. What I want is his safety, and for him to return to my arms.”

Pankaj Oswal is the son of industrialist Abhay Kumar Oswal, who was the founder of Oswal Agro Mills and Oswal Greentech. Oswal Group Global is involved in petrochemicals, real estate, fertilizers and mining.

Millionaire couple Pankaj and Radhika Oswal lived in Switzerland for 10 years with their two daughters Vasundhara and Ridi after moving from Australia.