The owners and a senior executive of the popular Rameshwaram Cafe have been formally charged by the Bengaluru police following a serious complaint of food adulteration. The case stems from an incident where a 19-year-old customer allegedly discovered a worm in his meal at the cafe's outlet inside Kempegowda International Airport.
Details of the Incident and Police Action
On Monday, December 2, 2025, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) police registered a First Information Report (FIR) based on the complaint filed by Nikhil N Naresh. The accused named in the case are cafe owners Divya Raghavendra Rao and Raghavendra Rao, along with senior executive Sumanth Lakshminarayana.
The police have issued notices to all three individuals, requiring them to appear for questioning. The case has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those related to criminal conspiracy, adulteration of food, sale of noxious food, and fabricating false evidence.
Timeline of Events: From July Discovery to December FIR
The unsettling event occurred months earlier, on July 24, 2024. Nikhil N Naresh was at Terminal 1 of the airport when he purchased a serving of Pongal from the Rameshwaram Cafe outlet. Upon inspection, he spotted what he described as a "superworm" in the dish and immediately alerted the staff.
Although the staff offered to replace the food item, Naresh declined. The incident attracted attention from other customers, several of whom recorded videos and took photographs. Naresh subsequently boarded his 8:45 am flight to Guwahati. The visual evidence from the scene later circulated widely on social media and news platforms.
Allegations of Defamation and Extortion Claims
In his complaint, Naresh made a significant additional allegation. He claimed that after the incident went viral, representatives of Rameshwaram Cafe attempted to defame him for bringing the issue to light.
Naresh stated he was shocked to encounter media reports where the cafe's executive, Sumanth Lakshminarayana, allegedly accused him of demanding Rs 25 lakh and threatening the cafe owners. The complainant firmly denied these extortion claims, asserting that he was being wrongfully framed and that the false narrative was damaging his reputation.
The police have registered offences under BNS sections 61, 123, 217, 228, 229, 274, and 275, covering a range of charges from conspiracy to food safety violations. The investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.
