Robin Uthappa has serious issues with the arrest warrant issued
Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has landed in serious legal trouble after an arrest warrant was issued against him for alleged fraud related to Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) deposits. Uthappa, who heads Centuries Lifestyle Brand Private Limited, is accused of failing to deposit INR 23 lakh in PF contributions despite deducting the amount from employees’ salaries.
The arrest warrant, issued by Regional Provident Fund Commissioner II and recovery officer Shadakshara Gopal Reddy and recovery officer KR Puram in Bangalore, stated that Robin Uthappa owed INR 23.36 lakh as director of Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd
Arrest warrant issued against Robin Uthappa in EPF fraud case
According to a report by Asia Net News, the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner II and Recovery Officer have issued the order and directed the Pulakeshinagar Station House Officer (SHO) to take action against the former Indian cricketer and provide an update by December 27.
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However, in a surprising twist, the police returned empty-handed after learning that Robin Uthappa had shifted to a new address, forcing the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) and police authorities to intensify the search for the former T20 World Cup winner.
The order issued to the Pulakeshinagar Station House Officer (SHO) reads, “Due to non-remittance of dues, this office is unable to settle the Provident Fund (PF) accounts of the working poor. In view of the above, we request you to execute the attached warrant of arrest, which was executed on December 4, after it was found that Mr. Uthappa did not appear. was in Pulakeshinagar residence.”
Robin Uthappa could avoid arrest by clearing the payments by December 27
However, it is said that the order will be canceled if it compensates the outstanding fees before December 27. Notably, the former Indian cricketer and his family now reside in Dubai.
Due to non-payment of dues, Uthappa’s office is unable to settle the workers’ provident fund accounts. If the amount is not cleared by December 27, Uthappa could face serious consequences.
If found guilty, Uthappa could be charged under Section 405 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with criminal breach of trust by employers who withhold PF or Family Pension Fund contributions.
Robin Uthappa’s Cricket Career in Brief
Notably, Uthappa retired from all forms of the game in 2022, and was last seen in action in the Hong Kong Sixers tournament in November 2024. He currently works as a broadcaster. Talking about Robin Uthappa’s career, he won the Indian Premier League (IPL) title with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
The former cricketer was part of the victorious Indian team in the 2007 T20 World Cup under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Uthappa represented India in 46 one-day internationals between 2006 and 2015, scoring 934 runs at an average of 25.94, with a highest score of 86.
He also played 13 Test matches, amassing 249 runs for the country. He also scored nearly 5000 IPL runs at a strike rate of 130.41 and helped Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings win the IPL title in 2012 and 2022 respectively.
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