Rameshwaram Cafe Faces FIR After Passenger Alleges Insect Found in Meal at Bengaluru Airport

Bengaluru airport police have registered an FIR against Rameshwaram Cafe owner Raghavendra Rao, co-owner Divya Raghavendra Rao, and senior executive Sumanth Lakshminarayan after a passenger alleged that he found an insect inside a meal served at Kempegowda International Airport's Terminal 1. The incident, which began as a food-safety complaint, later escalated into a dispute over alleged extortion, prompting police to invoke multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including those related to food adulteration, cheating, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. Investigators at the Bengaluru airport police station are now examining CCTV footage, internal documents, phone records and digital evidence connected to the case.

According to the FIR, the complaint was filed by 19-year-old passenger Nikhil N. Naresh, who stated that the incident took place on July 24. At around 7.42 am, he purchased a plate of pongal from the Rameshwaram Cafe outlet at Terminal 1 and claimed he discovered a superworm in the food. Nikhil immediately alerted the staff, who, as per the FIR, offered him a replacement dish. He declined the offer, and other customers standing nearby reportedly clicked pictures and recorded videos of the plate. After the exchange, Nikhil continued with his travel plans and boarded a flight to Guwahati, which departed around 8.45 am.

The FIR notes that police have reviewed CCTV footage from 7.30 am to 8 am on July 24 to verify the sequence of events. Officers have also checked Nikhil's boarding pass, flight details and call detail records to corroborate the timeline. The FIR states that these materials support the allegation that unwholesome food was served to the passenger. Nikhil has said in his complaint that the incident was not just unpleasant but also a serious violation of food safety norms, and that the responsibility lies with owner Raghavendra Rao, co-owner Divya Raghavendra Rao, and senior executive Sumanth BL.

The case took a new turn after media reports on July 25 quoted a Rameshwaram Cafe representative, named as Sumanth BL, claiming that Nikhil had demanded ₹25 lakh and issued threats. Nikhil has denied these allegations, calling them false and defamatory. He told the police that airline records show he was on the Guwahati-bound flight at 10.27 am on July 24, contradicting claims that he made threatening calls after the incident. The FIR further records his statement that he did not call any of the phone numbers mentioned in the counter-complaint, nor did he seek compensation, refund or any other benefit from the Rameshwaram Cafe team.

Nikhil has alleged that the owners and representatives of the outlet attempted to frame him by filing a false extortion complaint, damaging his reputation. Bengaluru airport police are now investigating both the original food adulteration allegations and the counter-claims surrounding the supposed extortion. The inquiry is ongoing, with legal proceedings under the registered FIR expected to continue as police gather more evidence and statements in the case involving the airport outlet of the popular Bengaluru eatery.