Bengaluru: A police case has been filed against a group of people for allegedly trying to blackmail Rameshwaram Cafe for Rs 25 lakh. They reportedly faked an incident involving food contamination at the cafe’s outlet in Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. The police said the incident happened on the morning of July 24.
As per reports from PTI, a group of about five to seven people claimed they found an insect in the food at the cafe. They created a scene at the airport, saying the food was unsafe. The head of the cafe’s operations filed a complaint saying the group threatened to share a video of the incident on social media if they weren’t paid.
Shortly after the disturbance, the cafe team received a phone call where someone demanded Rs 25 lakh in cash to stop the video from being shared online, which could damage the cafe’s image. The cafe management handed over call logs, screenshots of messages, and other documents to the police and asked for fast action to be taken.
The police confirmed that a Zero FIR has been filed under sections 308(2) and 351(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Since the Zero FIR can be registered at any police station, the case will be transferred to the police station near the complainant’s location.
Divya Raghav, the founder of The Rameshwaram Cafe, strongly denied the claims. She said, “We completely reject the false charge that our food had a worm or insect. This was clearly planned to harm our brand and get money from us.” She added that the cafe follows very strict rules for food quality and safety, especially in high-security places like airports. She also mentioned that this was not the first time such a blackmail attempt was made against the cafe.
“We will not give in to threats or pressure,” she said. She confirmed that the company is fully helping the police and will take legal action against those involved.