New York, Dec 19 (IANS) Held
guilty of modern day slavery and awaiting sentences, Mahender and Varsha
Sabhnani, a wealthy business couple are set to lose their million-dollar
house in Long Island near here.
India born Mahender, 51, and Indonesia-born Varsha, 45, are naturalised
US citizens, who face around 20 years in prison after both were
convicted for imprisoning and torturing two Indonesian maids in their
house over a period of five years.
Federal court jurors in Central Islip unanimously decided Tuesday that
the Sabhnanis' property in Muttontown was used in the commission of a
crime and must be forfeited to the government.
The Sabhnanis operate a successful worldwide perfume business out of
their Muttontown home.
The allegations against the couple included forcing the maids,
identified only as Samirah and Enung, to work over 18 hours a day,
beatings with brooms and umbrellas, slashings with knives and being made
to repeatedly climb stairs and take freezing showers.
The same jury Monday had convicted the couple of imprisoning and
torturing the two maids.
The Sabhnanis' case had received wide publicity in the US as well as
abroad because prosecutors called it a rare instance of modern day
slavery.
Their lawyers said the jury was taken with the histrionics of the maids,
and plan to appeal.
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