कारपोरेट मीडिया अपने कर्मचारियों की फंड संबंधी बकाया राशि हजम कर जाने अथवा नियम-कानून की आड़ में आपराधिक मंशा से कैसी-कैसी साजिशें करता है, इसकी एक बानगी भर है नितिन दुआ की आपबीती, जिसे उन्होंने रीजनल प्रॉविडेंट फंड कमिश्नर कानपुर, सेंट्रल पीएफ कमिश्नर दिल्ली (श्रम मंत्रालय दिल्ली), चीफ विजिलेंस ऑफिसर भविष्य निधि दिल्ली एवं असिस्टेंट कॉम्पलेंस कमिश्नर भविष्य निधि दिल्ली को प्रेषित अपने पार्थना पत्र में सविस्तार अवगत कराया है।
अधिकारियों को प्रेषित नितिन दुआ का पत्र
उन्होंने उच्चाधिकारियों को बताया है कि अमर उजाला पब्लिकेशंस लिमिटेड में वह वर्ष 2006 से 2014 तक कार्यरत रहे। वर्ष 2006 से वर्ष 2010 तक उनके वेतन से फंड की राशि जमा नहीं की गई। वर्ष 2010 में नियोक्ता ने कर्मचारियों की फंड राशि जमा करने के लिए एक ट्रस्ट का गठन किया। वर्ष 2012 में उस ट्रस्ट को भी भंग कर दिया गया। वर्ष 2006 से वर्ष 2010 तक की फंड राशि का उन्हें भुगतान न किया जाना नियोक्ता का आपराधिक कृत्य है। उन्होंने उच्चाधिकारियों से अपील की है कि उनकी देय राशि का भुगतान कराने के साथ ही आपराधिक कृत्य के लिए नियोक्ता को दंडित किया जाए।
नितिन दुआ के साथ हुआ ये घटनाक्रम उन मीडियाकर्मियों के लिए भी सबक और राह दिखाने वाला हो सकता है, जिन्हें ऐसे मामलों में नियोक्ताओं के शोषण और जालसाजी का शिकार होना पड़ रहा है। नितिन दुआ ने 17 मार्च 2014 को उच्चाधिकारियों को प्रेषित प्रार्थना पत्र में कुछ इस तरह अमर उजाला की आपबीती बयान करते हुए न्याय की गुहार लगाई है –
1. That Amar Ujala Publication Limited is a leading News Paper publication Company of northern india and was incorporated under the provisions of The Companies Act, 1956 as Public Limited Company.
2. That applicant had joined the Amar Ujala Publications Limited w.e.f. 15th November, 2006 on the post of Manager IT at their Noida Office. The consolidated salary of the applicant was Rs. 19,150.00 per month plus other benefits at the time of joining. The copy of the appointment letter is being filed as Annexure- 1
3. That the PF account number of applicant was UPBLY 00035430000003548. After wards UAN allotted is 100257593511
4. That Amar Ujala Publications Limited is a News Paper Organisation hence there is no ceiling limit for the purpose of deduction of PF. The newspaper employees, without any income ceiling limit, are entitled to the benefits of the PF Act and the Scheme applicable.
5. Employees of the newspaper industries are outside the preview of the category of ‘excluded employee’s through notification dated 4th December, 1956 issued by the Central Government. 6. That as per provisions of the EPF scheme it was the social duty, liability and incumbent to Amar Ujala Publications Limited to enroll all the employees in PF Scheme and to deduct their PF contribution from their salary without any salary ceiling and after adding the PF contribution of employer share as per provisions of PF Act , deposit the same at concerned PF office.
7. That applicant states that w.e.f. November 2006 to November 2010 termed as “ The Complaint Reporting period”, Amar Ujala Publication Limited, the Employer of the applicant has neither deducted PF contribution of the applicant share from his salary nor added employer share . Applicant was not enrolled EPF member till November 2010.
8. Applicant does not able to understand that despite routine PF inspections this criminal illegal, antisocial act of Amar Ujala Publications Limited and its Managing Promoters was not noticed by the concerned PF authorities.
9. To cover up the aforesaid illegal act employer had created a PF trust in the year of 2010 and enrolled all the employees in the said trust as PF member in phased manner but they did not deposit arrear. It is stated here that applicant and all other employees were made the member of the said PF Trust after the date of the formation of Trust but not from the date of their appointment while under the PF Act it was incumbent on the employer to enroll the employee from the date of his appointment. The said PF Trust was created by the Amar Ujala Publications Ltd with ulterior motive and with sole intention to avoid the liability of PF arrear which they had not deducted and deposited in past .
10. That said trust was dissolved in the year of 2012 which shows that trust was created under well planed criminal conspiracy by the employer to cover up to their illegal act and to avoid their financial liability otherwise there was no reason to surrender the trust within short span of time.
11. That by the aforesaid illegal act of the Amar Ujala Publications Ltd, applicant had suffered huge financial loss Applicant joined the Amar Ujala Publications Limited on November 2006 and was enrolled the PF member in the year of December 2010 resulted thereby applicant had been deprived of PF benefits for about 4 years due to illegal and anti social act of the Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. and its promoters
12. Media organisations are the watchdog of the democracy. They are not supposed to act anti social and illegally manner but due to aforesaid illegal act of Amar Ujala Publicatins Ltd. applicant monthly pension might be affected badly. The Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. is liable to compensate the same. It is the responsibility of the concerned PF authorities to take proper action against the Amar Ujala Publications Ltd. and its promoters for aforesaid illegal, Anti social and inhumane act.
13. That a high level economic and social fraud has been committed by the Amar Ujala Publication Limited and its promoters by not enrolling all employees in PF Scheme. This is not only social but a criminal offence also.
14. That it is expedient that an departmental enquiry be made in the matter and appropriate legal action be initiated against the Amar Ujala Publication Limited and Amar Ujala Publications Limited be directed to deposit the applicant PF share with Employer share with penal interest as per the following.
a. Employee contribution for the month of November 2006 till November 2010 @ Rs. 3038.00/- pm.
b. Employer contribution for the month of November 2006 till November 2010 @ Rs. 3038.00/- pm
c. Compensation for loss of pension Rs. 15,00,000/-
You are therefore requested to initiate an enquiry against Amar Ujala Publications Limited and its promoters and to recover the dues of applicant as mentioned in para 14 and accordingly payment be made to applicant and any other further action which deem fit & proper under the circumstances be also taken against Amar Ujala Publications Limited and its promoters.