FIRs lodged against Apeejay Tea Limited

Seven tea gardens asked to clear PF dues of employees

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: The Apeejay Tea Limited, one of the India's oldest and third largest tea producer, landed in deep soup after the Assam Tea Employees Provident Fund Organization (ATEPFO) Tinsukia zone, lodged FIRs against the company in three police stations- Doomdooma, Pengeree and Makum - for financial offence and criminal breach of trust with notices being served to seven tea gardens in Tinsukia district for recovery of employees' PF amounting to Rs 35.35 crore, even as Assam Chah Karmachari Sangha (ACKS) is irked over non-payment of employees' salary for the month of December and January 2022.

The Recovery officer of ATEPFO Tinsukia zone, vide letter no PF/ZO-TIN/2022/Recovery/E/232/— issued 'Notice of Demand' to the managers of seven tea gardens, namely Khobong, Talap, Hilika, Hokonguri, Budlabheta, Kharjan and Pengeree, asking the respective gardens to clear the outstanding PF dues within 15 days, failure of which steps will be taken to realize the amount in accordance to the provision under Section15B to 15G of ATPFF Scheme Act 1955. Further, the company is also liable to pay interest for the period of default. The outstanding amount against the gardens are-Khobong Rs 6.40 crore, Talap Rs 7 crore, Hilika Rs 3.22 crore, Hokonguri 3.72 crore, Budlabheta Rs 6.9 crore, Kharjan Rs 5.13 crore and Pengeree Rs 2.98 crore.

The FIRs stated the employers of the gardens committed serious offence like criminal breach of trust and misappropriation by not depositing the collected provident fund (PF) and their matching contributions. As such the Managing Director of the Apeejay Tea Limited is liable to be prosecuted under relevant provision of law, the FIR stated. The police sources said the 7 FIRs were lodged in three police stations, namely Doomdooma (5), Makum and Pengeree, one each on February 22 and February 23 by the Assistant PF Commissioner, ATEPFO Tinsukia.

Meanwhile, ACKS has threatened to initiate agitation from March 1 if the salary of the Apeejay Tea employees for the month of January is not cleared before February 28 and urged upon the management further to pay the monthly wages of February within 10.3.22.

Also Read:  Apeejay Tea depriving workers of basic necessities: ATTSA

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