Picture Credit: X
Days after former India cricketer Robin Uthappa was alledgedly accused of defrauding by deducting Provident Fund contributions from salaries of employees when he served as the Director of a Bengaluru-based firm named, Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt. Ltd, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, December 31 issued a stay order on the arrest warrant.
Earlier, Shadakshara Gopal Reddy, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner - II and Recovery Officer, KR Puram in Bengaluru, had issued a warrant on former Indian cricketer for alleged Provident Fund (PF) fraud. The 39-year-old former cricketer was accused of deducting PF contributions from employees’ salaries, along with failing to deposit the funds into their accounts, which is reported to be whopping INR 23.36 Lakh.
Relief for Robin Uthappa as Karnataka High Court issues stay order on arrest warrant
However, the former India all-rounder had clarified his side of the story within hours, adding that his legal team has already begun their work in the matter. But on Tuesday, December 31, a bench led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj of the Karnataka High Court has temporarily halted the arrest warrant and issued a stay order.
Taking to X (formerly called Twitter), Uthappa had finally broken silence in an elaborated post. The 39-year-old claimed that he is not involved in day-to-day operations of the company and had resigned as the Director several years ago. "In light of recent news of the PF case against me, I would like to provide some clarification with regards to my involvement with Strawberry Lencería Pvt. Ltd., Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt. Ltd., and Berryz Fashion House,” his statement began.
“In 2018-19, I was appointed as a director in these companies due to my financial contributions to them in the form of loans. However, I did not have an active executive role, nor was I involved in the day-to-day operations of the businesses. Given my demanding schedule as a professional cricketer, TV presenter, and commentator, neither did I have the time nor expertise to participate in their operations. In fact, I do not play an executive role in any other companies I have funded, till date. Regrettably, these companies failed to repay the funds I lent them, leading me to initiate legal proceedings, which are currently sub judice. I also resigned from my directorships several years ago,” he clarified.
