The Rameshwaram Cafe's airport outlet.
Credit: Faceboook/Rameshwaram Cafe
Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have booked Rameshwaram Cafe owner Raghavendra Rao, his wife Divya Raghavendra Rao and senior executive Sumanth Lakshminarayan for selling noxious food, giving false information, criminal conspiracy and other offences on a complaint filed by a builder.
On Monday, the Bangalore International Airport police issued notices to the three to appear for questioning.
In his complaint, Marathahalli resident Nikhil N alleged that he was served worm-infested Pongal at the cafe's airport outlet (Terminal 1) on July 24. Upon his complaint, the staff agreed to replace the food, but he refused it because he was in a hurry to board a flight to Guwahati. Other customers filmed the incident and took a photo of the worm.
But the next day, Sumanth, the cafe's operations head, filed a case of blackmail and extortion at the Vyalikaval police station, alleging a group of customers had demanded Rs 25 lakh.
As part of the investigation, police arrested a man and summoned Nikhil and his friends for questioning. Nikhil refuted the blackmail allegation, and submitted call records and other evidence. Police later clarified that Nikhil and his friends were not connected with the arrested suspect.
Nikhil later decided to file a counter-complaint, accusing the popular eatery's management of criminal intimidation and damaging his reputation.
Hussain Owais, Nikhil's advocate, told DH that police had repeatedly summoned his client and four of his friends.
"It was so embarrassing for Nikhil. He's from a well-to-do family. Why would he need to extort anyone," Owais stated.
The lawyer suggested that the police did not take up the case immediately and just filed a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR).
Nikhil's lawyer later approached food safety officials and complained to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) that the case was not handled properly.
Based on the DCP's instructions, police registered an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to selling noxious food, giving false information and criminal conspirancy among other offences against the Raos and Sumanth.
"It was harassment of my client. They tried to damage his reputation. It's a clear case of criminal conspiracy," Owais stated.
A senior police officer said notices had been issued to all those named in the FIR and promised a thorough investigation after their statements were recorded.
A Vyalikaval police officer, who investigated the eatery's complaint against Nikhil, said that although the suspects had made a WhatsApp call and were called to the police station for questioning, there was no evidence that Nikhil and his friends were involved in blackmail and extortion.
A spokesperson for Rameshwaram Cafe declined to comment. Sumanth's phone was switched off.