Delhi High Court directs EPFO to investigate journalist’s plea on Statesman withholding PF dues

The Delhi High Court last week issued an order directing the Employee Provident Fund Organisation to take note of a former Statesman journalist’s complaint about not receiving his provident fund.

Journalist Shahid Pervez, who presently works for the Indian Express, worked at the Statesman for 27 years from 1994 to 2021. On February 10 this year, he wrote a formal complaint to the EPFO seeking criminal proceedings against the managing director and trustee of the Statesman Staff Provident Fund alleging non-payment of his provident fund dues.

Pervez then petitioned the high court on May 16, asking for an “investigation” into the matter and the cancellation of the Statesman Staff Provident Fund’s registration. His plea also asked for the prosecution of the company and trustee responsible for the provident fund.

On May 18, the court asked for a “speaking and reasoned order” from the respondents on Pervez’s February complaint within six weeks. The respondents include the EPFO, the SSPF and Ravindra Kumar, the trustee of SSPF and editor of the Statesman. 

The court added that it “has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the petitioner’s claim”.

“Pleas for justice seem to fall on deaf ears within the EPFO, prompting the petitioner to approach the court for intervention,” Pervez’s lawyer Talha Abdul Rahman told Newslaundry. 

Newslaundry emailed a questionnaire to Neelam Shami Rao, commissioner of the EPFO, but received no response.