Karnataka High Court Stays Arrest Warrant Against Robin Uthappa In EPF Fraud Case
As the director of Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt. Ltd., the cricketer is accused of defrauding both employees and the government.
Image: BCCI
The Karnataka High Court has temporarily halted the arrest warrant against former India cricketer Robin Uthappa in connection with an alleged fraud involving Employees' Provident Fund deposits.
The decision was made by a vacation bench led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj after Uthappa approached the court to challenge the recovery notices and arrest warrant issued in the case.
As the director of Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt. Ltd., the cricketer is accused of defrauding both employees and the government by deducting Provident Fund contributions from salaries but failing to deposit the funds into employee accounts.
The company allegedly owes Rs 23.36 lakh in damages, which authorities are trying to recover from Uthappa. Accused of cheating, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner Shadakshiri Gopala Reddy issued an arrest directive to the Pulakeshi Nagar Police on Dec. 4, 2024.
In a social media post on Dec. 21, Robin Uthappa said, "When the Provident Fund authorities issued notices demanding payment of dues, my legal team responded, highlighting that I had no role in these companies and provided documentation from the companies themselves confirming my lack of involvement. Despite this, the Provident Fund authorities have continued with proceedings, and my legal advisors will take the necessary steps to resolve this matter in the coming days."
"I would also like to urge the media to kindly present complete facts and to verify the authenticity of information being shared," he added.
