Bengaluru, India

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has landed in a controversy after an arrest warrant was issued against him. The warrant was issued after Centaurus Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd., of which Uthappa is the director, failed to deposit provident funds in excess of INR 20 lakh (2 million).

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The clothing company is based out of Bengaluru and has INR 23,36,602 (approx 2.3 million) in dues to PF department. Uthappa has till 27 December to pay the dues or face arrest.

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Provident fund is deducted from an employee's salary and deposited towards saving. It is accessible to employee for advances in case of an emergency or paid in full after the retirement.

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The order, issued on December 4 by Regional PF Commissioner II & Recovery Officer, Shadakshara Gopala Reddy, read: "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."

"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," it further added.

The police, when arrived to deliver the order, found out that Uthappa has vacated the mentioned address.

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"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," read a report by news outlet Times of India, citing a police officer in the case.

As no formal complaint has been filed yet in the case so no FIR has been issued so far, the TOI further reported.