The complainant alleged that “a superworm (insect) was found in the food”, after which he immediately informed the hotel staff. The staff reportedly offered to replace the food, but he refused, and the group left the café “without creating any commotion”.
Published Dec 02, 2025 | 4:11 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 02, 2025 | 4:11 PM
The Rameshwaram Cafe outlet at BIAL.
Synopsis: One of the travellers at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport earlier accused of staging a false food-contamination incident at a Rameshwaram Cafe outlet has now filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the restaurant did indeed serve unsafe food and later tried to defame him through false allegations. Police have registered an FIR based on the complaint naming the cafe’s founders.
Four months after the Rameshwaram Cafe accused a group of travellers at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru of staging a false food-contamination incident to extort money, one of the men named in the case has filed a counter-complaint, alleging that the cafe endangered his life and attempted to defame him.
Police at the BIAL station registered an FIR on 29 November based on a complaint by Nikhil N Naresh, who has accused the cafe’s founders, Raghavendra Rao and Divya Raghavendra Rao, and its representative, Sumanth BL, of serving “contaminated or unsafe food” and of having “attempted to defame and harass him” through a false extortion complaint.
The complaint states that Naresh was “on the flight at 10.27 am on 24 July 2025” and asserts that he had “no connection with any of the phone numbers mentioned in the complaint” filed earlier by the cafe. Naresh also said he had not demanded compensation or money “in any form.”
He has asked the police to examine CCTV footage from 7.30 to 8 am, his boarding pass and flight records, and call details to establish the sequence of events.
Police have registered the case under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), including Section 61 (criminal conspiracy), Section 217 (false information to a public servant causing injury), Section 228 (fabricating false evidence), Section 229 (punishment for false evidence), Section 274 (adulteration of food or drink) and Section 275 (sale of noxious food or drink).
The incident first came to light on 25 July when Rameshwaram Cafe alleged that a group of five to seven individuals had created a “public disturbance” at its airport outlet by “falsely alleging that the food served contained an insect.”
Sumanth BL had said the group had threatened to circulate the video on social media unless they were compensated. Shortly after, the team allegedly received a phone call demanding ₹25 lakh in cash to avoid reputational damage.
According to the cafe’s complaint, its airport manager Mahesh reported that the passengers had threatened to defame the brand. The FIR excerpt from the news report says Mahesh contacted Sumanth, who then attempted to call back “on mobile number.”
When he received no response, Sumanth later received a WhatsApp call from an international number, during which the caller allegedly demanded that “₹25 lakhs be delivered to Brigade Road.”
The complaint stated that the caller “threatened to malign the brand’s reputation on social media by falsely claiming the food was bad if the amount was not paid.” Rameshwaram Cafe submitted call records, message screenshots and other documents to the police, seeking legal action.
In a press statement issued at the time, Divya Raghavendra Rao firmly rejected the contamination claim.
“We categorically deny the baseless accusation that a worm or insect was found in our food. The safety and hygiene of our food preparation are non-negotiable,” the statement read.
Detailing his version of events, Naresh said that on 24 July at around 7.42 am, he and his friends visited the Rameshwaram Cafe outlet at Terminal 1 before boarding a flight to Guwahati. They ordered ven pongal and filter coffee.
He alleged that “a super worm (insect) was found in the food,” after which he immediately informed the hotel staff. The staff reportedly offered to replace the food, but he refused.
Several customers reportedly took photos and videos of the incident, and the group left the cafe “without creating any commotion” before boarding their flight at around 8.45 am.
The FIR states that the complainant later learnt through media reports on 25 July that Sumanth BL had filed a case accusing the group of threatening to defame the brand and demanding ₹25 lakh to avoid reputational damage.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
