‘Gross violation of human rights’:Indian-origin billionaire’s daughter shares her on ordeal in Ugandan jail

Vasundhara Oswal falsely jailed in Uganda, claims gross human rights violation, seeks justice from Ugandan government.

Vasundhara Oswal, daughter of Indian-origin billionaire Pankaj Oswal, who was jailed falsely on charges of kidnapping and murder of her father's former employee in Uganda, claimed that her more than three-week ordeal behind bars was a gross violation of human rights.

Vasundhara (26) was falsely charged with the kidnapping and murder of Mukesh Menaria, a former employee of her father, Pankaj Oswal, last year. He was later found alive in Tanzania.

Talking to PTI on Friday, Ms. Vasundhara said: "I was detained for five days and thrown in prison for another two weeks. My human rights were grossly violated. They didn't let me take a shower and denied me food and water. My parents had to bribe police officers through lawyers to bring me food, water and basic necessities."

She claimed that at one point, she was not allowed to use the washroom as some sort of punishment.

Ms. Vasundhara was arrested on October 1, 2024, and was granted bail on October 21.

She claimed that the police searched her premises without a warrant. "When I asked them to present a search warrant, they said, 'We are in Uganda, we can do anything, you're not in Europe anymore'. They then forced me to go to Interpol with them on the pretext of meeting their director. When I didn't want to do it the same day, a male officer picked me up and threw me inside their van," she alleged.

Ms. Vasundhara claimed she was forced to give a statement without a criminal lawyer.