The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted temporary relief to former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa by staying the execution of an arrest warrant issued against him in connection with an alleged Provident Fund (PF) fraud case. The court also halted all related proceedings against Uthappa until further orders.
A Vacation Bench led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj provided interim protection after hearing arguments presented by Uthappa’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi.
The case revolves around Uthappa’s role as a director of Centaurus Lifestyle Brands, a private firm accused of deducting PF contributions from employees’ salaries but failing to deposit the funds into their accounts. The alleged dues amount to ₹23.36 lakh.
Uthappa served as a director of the company from 2018 to 2020. However, his counsel argued that he had formally resigned from the position in May 2020 and was not involved in the firm’s day-to-day operations. Advocate Navadgi stated, “As per his contractual agreement with the company’s founder, Krishnadas Thandanand Havade, Mr. Uthappa’s role was limited, and he cannot be deemed an employer under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act.”
The court took note of Uthappa’s communication to the authorities, dated December 22, 2024, which clarified that he no longer held any position in the company. Justice Govindaraj observed, “The petitioner has demonstrated prima facie that he was not involved in the management or financial affairs of the company during the period in question. Consequently, there is a case for interim protection.”
The matter came to light after the Regional PF Commissioner and Recovery Officer directed Bengaluru police on December 4 to execute an arrest warrant against Uthappa. The warrant, issued on December 21, led Uthappa to file a petition seeking its quashing.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 2025 to examine the case in detail. Uthappa’s legal team, including Senior Advocates Chintan Chinappa, Sushant Belvet, and Venkatesh Kamath, emphasized that the charges were baseless and aimed to improperly implicate their client.
The interim stay provides temporary respite for Uthappa as the court examines the merits of the allegations and his involvement in the case.
