The Bengaluru Police have registered an FIR against the owner and representatives of Rameshwaram Cafe at Kempegowda International Airport's Terminal 1, following allegations of food safety violations and defamation, according to news agency PTI.
Following a complaint lodged by al customer Nikhil N, who alleged serious food safety violations and a subsequent attempt to defame him through a false counter-complaint, the FIR was registered against the eatery's owner - Raghavendra Rao, his wife Divya Raghavendra Rao and senior executive Sumanth Lakshminarayan at the BIAL police station on November 29.
The incident occurred on July 24 this year at terminal 1 of Kempegowda International Airport, where Nikhil was at the airport to board a flight to Guwahati.
According to the FIR, at the Rameshwaram Cafe's terminal 1 outlet, Nikhil ordered 'Ven Pongal' and filter coffee. He allegedly found a worm in the food. He immediately alerted the staff, who offered to replace the dish, but he refused as he wanted to board the flight, PTI reported.
While other customers took a photo of the worm, Nikhil claimed he left the cafe without creating any problem and boarded his flight.
The following day, Nikhil learnt through media reports that a case had been lodged against him in Bengaluru, accusing him of threatening the cafe's brand reputation and demanding Rs 25 lakh, the FIR stated, as reported by PTI.
According to the Kannada Prabha website, Nikhil denied making any financial demands or even seeking a refund and asserted that his flight records prove he was airborne at the time cited in the cafe's complaint, making the allegations false. Police also later clarified that no evidence was found against Nikhil and his friends that they were involved in blackmail or extortion.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under Sections 61 (criminal conspiracy), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence), 217 (false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person), 228 (fabricated false evidence) 229 (punishment for false evidence), 274 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale) and 275 (sale of noxious food or drink) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The matter is under investigation.
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