Kerala Man's Family Takes Legal Action Against EPFO Officials, Alleging 'They waited for him to die to give back his life’s savings'
In a tragic turn of events in Kerala, the family of the late K P Sivaraman is taking legal action against Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation ( EPFO ) officials for their alleged role in the denial of his life's savings. Sivaraman, a 69-year-old retiree from Thrissur, Kerala, ended his life inside the EPFO office in Kochi last month, sparking outrage and prompting his family to seek justice.
For nearly a decade, Sivaraman had been grappling with EPFO officials who repeatedly rejected his claims for provident fund payment, citing documentation issues. His son, Pradheesh Sivaraman, expressed the family's frustration, stating, “They kept him waiting for nine years and repeatedly refused the claim to his life’s savings citing documentation issues. And then, just after he killed himself, the provident fund payment was made without any additional document being submitted from our side. Ironically, they did not even ask for the death certificate.” Shockingly, after Sivaraman's tragic suicide, EPFO swiftly processed the pending dues without requiring any additional documents, except a letter identifying Sivaraman's wife as the legal nominee.
Pradheesh, a 39-year-old daily wager, emphasized the family's determination to seek justice despite limited financial resources. “My father is gone. But we have decided to take legal recourse to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else’s father. If they wanted, they could have released the money. As they did as soon as he died. But they waited for him to die to give back what was his life’s savings,” he declared. The family lodged a police complaint on February 7, and the case is now in court.
EPFO rules mandate the submission of Form 20 to claim withdrawal of PF for deceased members, including essential documents like a death certificate, guardianship certificate (if applicable), and a copy of a blank/cancelled cheque. The family's claim that EPFO cleared the payment without demanding these documents raises serious concerns about procedural irregularities.
Despite queries from The Indian Express regarding the payment and the absence of demands for additional documents, EPFO has not responded.
Sivaraman's case sheds light on a broader issue, with rejection rates for EPF final settlements soaring from 13% in 2017-18 to nearly 34% in 2022-23. This alarming trend means that over one in every three claims for final settlement of provident fund amounts are being turned down by the EPFO. Particularly concerning is the sharp increase in rejection rates for the final settlement category over the past five years, prompting calls for a thorough examination of the EPFO's practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
For nearly a decade, Sivaraman had been grappling with EPFO officials who repeatedly rejected his claims for provident fund payment, citing documentation issues. His son, Pradheesh Sivaraman, expressed the family's frustration, stating, “They kept him waiting for nine years and repeatedly refused the claim to his life’s savings citing documentation issues. And then, just after he killed himself, the provident fund payment was made without any additional document being submitted from our side. Ironically, they did not even ask for the death certificate.” Shockingly, after Sivaraman's tragic suicide, EPFO swiftly processed the pending dues without requiring any additional documents, except a letter identifying Sivaraman's wife as the legal nominee.
Pradheesh, a 39-year-old daily wager, emphasized the family's determination to seek justice despite limited financial resources. “My father is gone. But we have decided to take legal recourse to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else’s father. If they wanted, they could have released the money. As they did as soon as he died. But they waited for him to die to give back what was his life’s savings,” he declared. The family lodged a police complaint on February 7, and the case is now in court.
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EPFO rules mandate the submission of Form 20 to claim withdrawal of PF for deceased members, including essential documents like a death certificate, guardianship certificate (if applicable), and a copy of a blank/cancelled cheque. The family's claim that EPFO cleared the payment without demanding these documents raises serious concerns about procedural irregularities.
Despite queries from The Indian Express regarding the payment and the absence of demands for additional documents, EPFO has not responded.
Sivaraman's case sheds light on a broader issue, with rejection rates for EPF final settlements soaring from 13% in 2017-18 to nearly 34% in 2022-23. This alarming trend means that over one in every three claims for final settlement of provident fund amounts are being turned down by the EPFO. Particularly concerning is the sharp increase in rejection rates for the final settlement category over the past five years, prompting calls for a thorough examination of the EPFO's practices to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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