Pankaj Oswal Daughter Arrested: Vasundhara Oswal, daughter of Indian business tycoon Pankaj Oswal and Radhika Oswal, who heads the Oswal Group, has reportedly been detained in Uganda since October 1, 2024. Vasundhara’s family has alleged that she has been detained illegally. Stylish Vasundhara Oswal has been denied basic human rights and legal representation. Famous billionaire industrialist Pankaj Oswal has filed an appeal before the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
In this appeal his 26 year old daughter in Uganda Vasundhara Oswal There have been calls for international intervention into his alleged illegal detention. According to Oswal, his daughter has been detained without any trial since October 1. PRO Industries Vasundhara, the executive director of the NGO, has reportedly been deprived of basic rights, including access to family and legal representation.
Why was the arrest made?
Pankaj Oswal alleged that the allegations against him were fabricated by a former employee who had stolen valuables. He had taken a loan of US$200,000 by making Oswal’s family a guarantor. When the Oswal family refused to repay the loan, they faced false charges allegedly aimed at avoiding financial obligations. Despite the employee’s capture in Tanzania, Vasundhara has been wrongly accused of kidnapping and attempted murder, according to her father.
Appealed to UN
United Nations (UN) In his appeal, Oswal gave details of the harsh conditions under which his daughter was kept in custody. It said that Vasundhara was interrogated in humiliating circumstances. He was held in remand for more than 90 hours without contact with his family or lawyer. He was shifted between different prisons to prevent contact with his loved ones. Even after the court ordered his unconditional release, Oswal claimed that Ugandan authorities continued to detain him. He added inadmissible charges to prevent his release on bail.
Mother demanded immediate release
Vasundhara’s mother Radhika Oswal expressed her anguish in an interview, describing the situation as “every mother’s nightmare” and demanding her daughter’s immediate release. He emphasized on Vasundhara being deprived of basic human rights and dignity during her imprisonment. Furthermore, Oswal has written an open letter to the President of Uganda, appealing for his intervention.
In another attempt to secure his daughter’s release, Oswal has appointed renowned human rights lawyer Cherie Blair CBE, KC. His office has said that Vasundhara’s treatment violates both domestic and international law. The Oswal family, known for its global business ventures, has put on hold its plans to invest USD 150 million in a new alcohol plant in Uganda until the situation is resolved.
Vasundhara Oswal, who holds a graduate degree in finance from the University of Switzerland, is credited with leading sustainability initiatives and debt reduction projects at PRO Industries. Despite her professional achievements she now finds herself in a foreign prison in what her family says is a politically motivated case.
