Indian-Swiss entrepreneur Vasundhara Oswal has filed a petition before a Ugandan court alleging corruption, abuse of power and serious procedural violations by local authorities, escalating her legal battle following her arrest and detention in the East African country last year.
In her petition, Oswal has accused certain police and prosecutorial officials of acting in a corrupt and arbitrary manner, claiming that the criminal case initiated against her was driven by extortion attempts and vested interests rather than evidence. The filing contends that law enforcement agencies misused the criminal justice system to exert pressure on her and her family, causing personal hardship, reputational damage and disruption to business operations in Uganda.
"I have filed a fresh petition against the concerned government officials, detailing the human rights violations I was subjected to during the three weeks I spent in custody in Uganda," Oswal said in an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express.
The petition also lays out the broader conspiracy behind the case. "We have substantial forensic evidence, including chats, phone records and videos, which show investigating officers and police personnel conspiring with the very individuals who falsely claimed that a murder had taken place," she added.
Oswal was arrested in October last year in connection with allegations linked to the disappearance of a former employee of a company associated with her family’s business interests. She has consistently denied the charges, maintaining that the accusations were fabricated and that the individual in question was later found alive and unharmed outside Uganda. According to her petition, despite the absence of incriminating evidence, she was subjected to prolonged detention, repeated court appearances and restrictive conditions that violated her constitutional rights.
"Over the past year, we uncovered significant material supporting this. We waited to initiate these proceedings because I had first filed a counter-complaint and a counter case against the individuals who lodged the false complaint against me, which led to my arrest, without initially involving the government or the police. However, after that filing, my case file was taken from the court and has not been returned for the last four to five months. This is despite repeated written requests, visits to offices and constant follow-ups seeking the return of the file so that our case could proceed," Oswal said.
Instead, the authorities have deliberately sat on the file. We have strong reason to believe that this was done at the behest of the investigating officer and the police, who conspired with the complainants to ensure the file remained stalled. I have chats and detailed records in my possession that clearly evidence this collusion, asserts Oswal.
The fresh petition alleges that during the course of the investigation and detention, officials sought unlawful financial and commercial concessions, using the threat of continued incarceration and prosecution as leverage. Oswal has argued that such actions amount to institutional corruption and represent a broader pattern of abuse that undermines investor confidence and the rule of law in the country.
Through the legal action, Oswal has sought judicial intervention to investigate the conduct of the officials involved, quash proceedings she claims are malicious, and provide redress for what she describes as unlawful detention and harassment. She has also urged the court to reaffirm safeguards against the misuse of criminal law, particularly in cases involving foreign investors and cross-border business disputes.
The case has attracted international attention, given Oswal’s family’s longstanding business presence in Uganda and the scale of planned investments that were put on hold following her arrest. Her family has previously indicated that the episode has forced a re-evaluation of their investment plans in the country, citing concerns over legal certainty and administrative fairness.
According to a Mumbai-based corporate lawyer, the case goes beyond Oswal as an individual and raises concerns for the wider business community operating in the country. The manner in which the matter has unfolded, he said, sets a worrying precedent. If an investor who has committed substantial capital, created jobs and built a local workforce can be treated in this way, similar risks could confront others as well.
The Oswal family, which commissioned a newly established extra neutral alcohol (ENA) plant in Uganda in October 2024, also has a broader business presence across several countries, including Uganda.
“I want this message to be out in the open clearly. If this can happen to me, it can happen to any individual or business operating there, especially those contributing to the economy and providing employment. That’s why we want to show the bigger picture—not treat this as a one-off, but highlight the serious implications and risks involved,” Oswal says.
Ugandan authorities have maintained that the arrest and investigation were carried out in accordance with the law, though no detailed response has yet been issued to Oswal’s latest petition. Legal observers say the court’s handling of the case will be closely watched, as it could have wider implications for perceptions of judicial independence and governance standards in Uganda.
The Ugandan Court has issued notices to the concerned officials named in the petition, seeking their response, and further hearings are expected in the coming weeks.
