Rs 120-Crore PF Default: Criminal Case Ordered Against Pune’s Sinhgad Technical Education Society
Pune, 25th December 2025: The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner has directed the Sinhgad Technical Education Society to deposit over ₹120 crore towards pending provident fund contributions for thousands of its employees, warning of asset seizure if the amount is not paid within two months. The order also calls for the registration of a criminal case against the society for allegedly submitting forged and false documents.
The order was issued on December 17 by Pune Divisional Provident Fund Commissioner Amit Vashisht following an investigation by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). The probe was initiated after an enforcement officer of the EPFO filed a complaint regarding non-payment of provident fund dues by the education society.
As per the order, the Sinhgad Technical Education Society has been directed to deposit ₹120,90,17,229 in provident fund contributions for 3,562 employees working across its educational institutions. The dues pertain to the period from March 2014 to December 2018 and are to be credited to the employees’ provident fund accounts within the stipulated time.
During the proceedings, the society contended that the 3,562 employees were “excluded employees” under paragraph 2(f) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme and that it was therefore not legally required to deposit contributions on their behalf. However, the Commissioner noted that statements recorded from employees revealed that they were already members of the Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme during their previous employment and had disclosed this status to the institution.
Rejecting the society’s argument, the order stated that under paragraph 26A of the scheme, such employees are required to be compulsorily enrolled, and the establishment had no legal basis to discontinue provident fund contributions by treating them as excluded employees.
The Commissioner observed that the society failed to produce any credible evidence to support its claim and that the forms submitted were found to be forged.
The order also directed the society to deposit provident fund dues for canteen workers engaged at its institutions. It found that an amount of ₹91,81,799 towards provident fund contributions for 394 canteen employees for the same period had not been deposited.
The society argued that these workers were employed by the contractor running the canteen services and were not its direct employees. However, the Commissioner ruled that the law applies not only to directly appointed staff but also to employees engaged indirectly or through contractors. The order noted that such distinctions can no longer be used to deny statutory provident fund benefits.
The Commissioner warned that failure to comply with the order within two months would result in the seizure of the society’s assets, and directed that criminal proceedings be initiated for submission of false documents.
