The Karnataka High Court has granted interim protection to former cricketer Robin Uthappa, staying an arrest warrant related to a Provident Fund fraud case involving Centaurus Lifestyle Brands. Uthappa’s defense argues he resigned in May 2020 and was not involved in daily operations, thus not liable under the Employees’ Provident Fund Act. Further hearings are anticipated.
Karnataka: The Karnataka High Court temporarily stayed an arrest warrant against former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa in connection with an alleged Provident Fund (PF) fraud case. Today, the Vacation Bench, led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj, granted interim protection to Uthappa, suspending the arrest warrant and all related proceedings against him.
The legal battle began after Uthappa approached the court, seeking the quashing of recovery notices and the arrest warrant that had been issued against him. The arrest warrant was initially directed by the Regional PF Commissioner and Recovery Officer on December 4, 2024, and the Bengaluru police subsequently issued it on December 21.
The controversy revolves around a private company, Centaurus Lifestyle Brands, where Uthappa served as a director between 2018 and 2020. The company is accused of deducting PF contributions from employees’ salaries but failing to deposit the funds into their accounts. As a result, Centaurus Lifestyle reportedly owes around Rs 23.36 lakh in damages.
Uthappa’s legal counsel, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, argued that the cricketer had officially resigned from his position as director in May 2020. Navadgi further clarified that even during Uthappa’s tenure as director, he had no involvement in the day-to-day operations of the company, as per his contract with the firm’s founder, Krishnadas Thandanand Havade.
Additionally, on December 22, 2024, Uthappa had informed the authorities that he was no longer a director of Centaurus Lifestyle and was not involved in any management responsibilities. Therefore, his counsel contended that Uthappa could not be considered an “employer” under the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Act.
The court’s interim stay offers Uthappa some relief as he faces legal scrutiny in connection with the PF fraud case. The matter will be closely watched as further hearings take place to determine the future course of action.
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