UK's richest family has been punished for exploiting their domestic servants and for being more benign towards their pet dog.

According to media reports, a court in Geneva, Switzerland, found four members of Hinduja family namely Prakash, his wife Kamal, their son Ajay and his wife Namrata guilty of exploitation and illegal employment and handed down prison terms to them, ranging from four to four-and-a-half years.

The family had brought their servants from India, the country of their origin, to Geneva where they worked at their residence. 

They were, however, not found guilty of human trafficking.

On the other hand, lawyers, representing the defendants, have said they plan to appeal the ruling.

Speaking outside the court following the verdict, Robert Assael, the lawyer, said: "I'm shocked. We're going to fight it to the bitter end."

Their three workers had alleged the family paid them as little as £7 ($8) to work 18-hour days - less than a tenth of the amount required under Swiss law - and had also confiscated their passports.

They also claimed the family rarely allowed them to leave the house, which is in Geneva’s wealthy neighbourhood of Cologny.

During the trial, the prosecutors alleged the family spent more on their dog than on their servants.

The defence, however, argued that the employees received ample benefits, were not kept in isolation and were free to leave the villa.

The elder Hindujas, both over 70, did not attend the court proceedings, citing health issues, while Ajay and Namrata did appear in the court but were not there to hear the verdict.

As soon as the decision was pronounced, the prosecution requested the court to order immediate detention of the younger Hinduja couple, but this was denied by the judge.

The defence said that Kamal Hinduja was currently at a hospital in Monaco.

It is not the first time that Geneva, a hub for international organisations as well as the world’s wealthy, has been in the spotlight over the alleged mistreatment of servants.

Last year, four domestic workers from the Philippines had filed a case against one of Geneva’s diplomatic missions to the United Nations, claiming they had not been paid for years.

The Hinduja family is the owner of a multinational Hinduja Group, with interests in oil, gas, and banking. The family also owns Raffles Hotel in London.

The family tops the Sunday Times list of the UK's 350 richest people with an estimated fortune of £37 billion.