BENGALURU: Robin Uthappa, former cricketer and director of Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd, is facing legal trouble after a warrant was issued against him for provident fund (PF) fraud. The firm allegedly failed to deposit Rs 23 lakh deducted from employees’ salaries into their PF accounts.

Regional PF Commissioner II & Recovery Officer, Shadakshara Gopala Reddy, directed the Pulakeshinagar police station in East Bengaluru to execute the arrest warrant against Uthappa, dated December 4.
However, police revealed that Uthappa has not resided at the address mentioned in the warrant for over a year and is currently living in Dubai.
The police have returned the warrant to the PF office in KR Puram, informing them that Uthappa is no longer within their jurisdiction. A senior officer clarified to TOI that no FIR has been registered against Uthappa as no formal complaint has been received.
“We received the letter from the PF office a week ago, requesting the execution of the arrest warrant. Uthappa previously lived in an apartment on Wheeler Road in Pulakeshinagar. Our staff visited the address and learned that he vacated the property a year ago and now resides in Dubai. We have communicated this to the PF office,” the officer said.
Details of the warrant:
“This is to inform you that T.K. Krishna Das, director of M/S Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd, located at HAL Second Stage in Indiranagar, has failed to remit damages under sections 7A, 14B, and 7Q of the Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) and Miscellaneous Provisions (MP) Act, 1952. The outstanding amount is Rs 23,36,602, including Rs 6,550 towards recovery,” the statement reads.
“You are kindly requested to execute the enclosed warrant of arrest for Robin Uthappa, director of the establishment, through the station in charge under whose jurisdiction the employer resides.”
The letter emphasises the importance of the EPF and MP Act as social welfare legislation designed to protect low-income workers.
“Due to non-remittance of dues, this office is unable to settle the PF accounts of poor workers. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to execute the enclosed warrant of arrest through the station in charge under whose jurisdiction Uthappa resides.”
The letter further cites Rule 73 of the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and Section 8B of the EPF and MP Act, requesting Uthappa’s arrest and his production before the undersigned on or before December 27 for further proceedings.