MBIE prosecution: Hamilton man, company to fight charges of underpaying workers

Dinsdale man Gaurav Batra, 40, above, and his company GSK Company Ltd, will head to trial after he entered not guilty pleas in the Hamilton District Court today. Photo / Belinda Feek

A Hamilton company director and his company will fight an MBIE prosecution involving alleged underpaying of staff.

Dinsdale man Gaurav Batra, 40, and his company GSK Company Ltd, face seven charges each laid by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Fellow company director Sourav Sardana, 29, still has a warrant out for his arrest as he had yet to return from overseas when the case was first called last month.

Sardana, of Frankton, faces one charge of being responsible for a serious contravention of the Wages Protection Act on or about July 11, 2017.

Batra and GSK's face three charges of breaching the Wages Protection Act on April 3, 2017, July 11, 2017, and April 16, 2018; two charges of being in serious default under the Minimum Wage Act for two staff between March 8, 2017, and October 3, 2018; and May 1, 2017, and December 10, 2018, and two charges of serious failure to pay two temporary staff money payable under the Holidays Act during the same time period.

Not guilty pleas were entered to all charges when Batra reappeared in the Hamilton District Court today.

The charges carry a maximum prison term of seven years or a $100,000 fine.

One of the companies run by GSK includes a kebab shop in Dinsdale.