Somaiya alleges ex-mayor’s firm delayed PF of 137 employees; Kishori rubbishes allegations

MUMBAI: A case has been registered against directors of Kish Corporate Services India Pvt Ltd following a complaint lodged by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for the delay in depositing the provident fund of 137 employees valued at around ₹4.47 lakh.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has claimed that the family of former mayor Kishori Pednekar was associated with the firm. However, Pednekar has denied these allegations saying that she has no association with the firm. The NM Joshi Marg police have registered a case for criminal breach of trust against Prashant Gavas, Shaila Gavas and Girish Revankar all directors of the firm, based on a complaint lodged by Vidya Babar, a vigilance officer with the EPFO.

According to Babar, they received a complaint from BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, alleging that the company had got a contract to supply drivers on a contract basis to BEST and the contractual employees had approach ed him, claiming that despite Provident Fund being deducted from their salaries, the amount of contribution was not deposited with the EPFO. “After the receipt of the complaint, a detailed inquiry was conducted and it was found that in October 2021 and November 2021, the company had not deposited the PF amount with the EPFO. The company had in October 2021 deducted around ₹ 2.20 lakh from the salaries of 127 employees and in November 2021 ₹2.27 lakh from the salaries of 137 employees – totalling ₹4.47. However, the amounts were not deposited with EPFO on time,” said a police officer. “As the company was supposed to deposit the money with EPFO within 15 days of deduction, a case was registered, as they deposited the money only after EPFO issued notices to the company,” said the police officer. Somaiya tweeted about the development saying, “Kishori Pednekar’s family Kish Corporate Services India Pvt Ltd case registered by police on the complaint of Provident Fund commissioner. They grabbed the provident fund of hundreds of employees.”

Pednekar slammed Somaiya for making baseless allegations. “I am in no way associated with the firm Kish Corporate Services India Pvt Ltd. These are baseless allegations made against me. I have been given protection in a case after the court found no merit in the complaint made by opposition similar to this,” said Pednekar.

The police said Pednekar’s son Saiprasad had worked as an additional director of the company. When asked about her son being associated with the company, she said they are not named in the FIR and he is mature to take his own decisions.