Daughter jailed in Uganda, billionaire Oswal Pankaj locks himself away
Billionaire Pankaj Oswal feels "immensely guilty" for sending his elder daughter Vasundhara to Uganda, according to his younger daughter Riddhi. In an email interview with HT.com, Riddhi revealed that the businessman and his wife, Radhika Oswal, have locked themselves in a "secret location" as they work on Vasundhara's release. Vasundhara has been held in Uganda for over three weeks now. She was arrested on October 1 by armed police officers while visiting her family's factory.
They barely eat more than one meal a day: Riddhi
"My parents have essentially locked themselves in a secret location, devoting all their time to fighting for my sister's release. They barely eat more than one meal a day and are surviving on the hope and faith that they can get their daughter free," Riddhi said. "They feel immense guilt because they pushed her to go to Africa to manage the factory and oversee its setup."
Oswal family's investment and Vasundhara's role in Uganda
The arrest is reportedly linked to a missing person probe, which the Oswal family insists is baseless. Her family maintains that the charges are made up, and the man she is accused of kidnapping is still alive and well in Tanzania. Vasundhara had been living in Uganda for the past three years, overseeing her family's factory's development. On the day of her arrest, she was at this factory when armed men took her under the pretext of questioning.
Oswal family's efforts to secure Vasundhara's release
The Oswal family has termed Vasundhara's detention illegal, claiming she was arrested without a warrant. They have even filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Vasundhara's younger sister Riddhi Oswal said their parents can't travel to Uganda fearing arrest by "highly corrupt officials." She added, "If my parents are arrested, they won't be able to fight for my sister."
Riddhi Oswal takes charge amid family crisis
"As we've come to learn, the police in Uganda have too much power and can arrest people... even without warrants or proper court procedures," she told HT. "If my parents are arrested, they won't be able to fight for my sister, who has essentially been cut off from everything and is already being treated like a convicted criminal," Riddhi explained. Riddhi has taken charge of everything related to family and business while her parents focus on the legal battle.
