Provident fund put in mothers name by deceased brother

For EPF a family would mean, in the case of a male member, his wife, his children, whether married or unmarried, his dependent parents and his deceased son’s widow and children.

Any nomination made to any other person is invalid. Therefore as his brother you cannot be a nominee. Further, neither is his mother dependent solely on the deceased son since you are also there.

A widow can only be denied maintenance from EPF only if one proves that his wife has ceased, under the personal law governing him or the customary law of the community to which the spouses belong, to be entitled to maintenance. She is entitled to the full EPF amount.