A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa in relation to allegations of Provident Fund (PF) fraud. The PF Regional Commissioner, Shadakshari Gopal Reddy, authorized the warrant and directed the Pulakeshinagar police to take necessary action. Uthappa, who operated a private company named Centuries Lifestyle Brand Private Limited, is accused of withholding employees’ PF contributions after deducting them from their salaries, with the alleged fraud amounting to Rs 23 lakh.
In a letter dated December 4, Commissioner Reddy instructed the police to execute the arrest warrant. However, the warrant was returned to the PF office as Uthappa is reportedly believed to have moved. Authorities are now stepping up efforts to locate the cricketer and enforce the law.
Under Section 405 of the Indian Penal Code, Uthappa could face charges of ‘criminal breach of trust.’ This section holds employers accountable for deducting employee contributions to the Provident Fund (PF) or Family Pension Fund and failing to deposit those amounts. If the deducted money is not deposited, the employer is considered to have misappropriated the funds, which is a violation of the law.
Robin Uthappa, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2022, displayed exceptional form during his recent appearance at the Hong Kong Sixes tournament in November, proving he hasn’t lost his touch. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batter has featured in 46 One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 934 runs at an impressive strike rate of 90.59.