Luwero, Uganda

Swiss-Indian industrialist Pankaj Oswal has filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations seeking intervention for alleged illegal detention of his 26-year-old daughter in Uganda.

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Oswal has claimed his daughter is denied basic rights and has been detained without trial in the East African country since October 1.

According to reports, Vasundhara Oswal was taken from Oswal's Extra-Neutral Alcohol (ENA) plant in Uganda by around 20 armed men, who did not show any identification or warrant. She was detained in a missing man’s case. 

Oswal has reportedly filed an appeal with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on October 11. WGAD is an international human rights body appointed by the Human Rights Council to investigate and intervene in cases of misuse of police powers.

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An Instagram post shared on Vasundhara’s handle described her “unlawful detainment and arrest.” The post showed an image of a toilet with blood and faeces on the floor. She was denied basic necessities including clean water and food and was not allowed to bathe or even change her clothes for nearly five days. She was forced to sit in a room full of shoes and given a small bench to sleep on.

According to the EU Reporter, Vasundhara was also denied vegetarian food and was not allowed to make contact with her family for days. Additionally, she was moved between multiple prisons to make it difficult for her family and lawyers to meet with her.

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Several co-workers of Vasundhara have also been detained, including the company’s legal representative, Rita Ngabire.

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Vasundhara’s brother described her as a “workaholic” who expanded the ENA plant in Uganda's Luwero from “a small tent on a bare land in 2021” to a $110 million factory. He claimed her detention was due to corporate jealousy of a 68-year-old man and accused him of extortion and ruining her reputation.

Despite a court order, Vasundhara was not released by the authorities, her brother said. According to reports, was taken to a lookalike court and charged with murder.

“This is every mother’s nightmare. My young daughter has been thrown into a foreign jail. She has been stripped of her basic human rights and her dignity. Vasundhara is an innocent bystander. All I want is her safety, and for her to be back in my arms,” Vasundhara’s mother said in an appeal to the Ugandan government.

(With inputs from agencies)