Why Pankaj Oswal is Urging the UN for Intervention in His Daughter’s Situation in Uganda

Swiss industrialist Pankaj Oswal has appealed to the United Nations over the alleged illegal detention of his 26-year-old daughter, Vasundhara Oswal, in Uganda. Vasundhara was reportedly seized on October 1 by around 20 armed men without an identification or warrant from her extra-neutral alcohol (ENA) plant. She was detained in connection with a missing person's case. Earlier this week, an urgent appeal was filed with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) regarding her detention.

A post on Vasundhara's Instagram account described her "unlawful detainment," showing a disturbing image of a toilet with blood and faeces on the floor. The post revealed that she was forced to sit in a shoe-filled room for over 90 hours and was denied basic necessities such as clean water and food. She was reportedly not allowed to bathe or change her clothes for nearly five days and was forced to sleep on a small bench. Additionally, she was made to participate in a suspect parade.

According to the EU Reporter, Vasundhara was denied vegetarian food and access to her family and legal representation during her detainment.

Another Instagram post, quoting her brother, described Vasundhara as a "workaholic" who played a major role in developing the $110 million ENA plant in Uganda's Luwero from the ground up. He claimed her detention stemmed from corporate jealousy and accused a 68-year-old man of attempting to extort the family and damage her reputation. He further alleged that authorities ignored a court order to release her, instead taking her to a local court where she was charged with murder.

The WGAD, a body of international human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, is now investigating the case to address potential abuses of police powers.

Meanwhile, Vasundhara's mother, Radhika Oswal, made an emotional appeal to the Ugandan government, stating, "My young daughter has been thrown into a foreign jail. She has been stripped of her basic human rights and dignity. Vasundhara is an innocent bystander. All I want is her safety."

Contrary to these claims, The Monitor reported that Vasundhara, also the executive director of PRO Industries, along with the company's lawyer, was remanded to prison on charges of kidnapping with intent to kill chef Mukesh Kumar Menaria, a family employee for seven years.