A writ petition was filed in the Kerala High Court on Thursday by M.V. Nikesh Kumar, Managing Director, Indo-Asian News Channel Private Limited, which runs the Reporter news channel challenging the order of the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner and Recovery Officer asking him to show cause why arrest warrant should not be issued against him for his failure to pay the provident fund arrears of his employees.
According to the petitioner, though he had sought for the waiver of the arrears to the tune of Rs.15.49 lakh, his request had not been referred to the Central government by the Assistant Provident Found Commissioner.
It was owing to acute paucity of funds and loss in business that the delay in remitting the provident fund dues and other related contributions was caused.
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The delay was not wilful but on account of the acute loss of the company, he said.