Rameshwaram Cafe Alleges Blackmail and Extortion in Complaint

Quick Summary

• Rameshwaram Cafe at Bengaluru airport filed a complaint against alleged blackmailers who staged a false food contamination incident.
• The operation head, Sumanth Lakshminarayanan, alleged the group demanded ₹25 lakh to prevent public defamation on social media.
• The group reportedly created commotion in front of other customers while alleging poor food quality and threatened consequences if compensation was denied.
• Hours later, one individual allegedly called back and reiterated the demand for ₹25 lakh in cash to be delivered at Brigade Road.
• The cafe stated its strict adherence to hygiene protocols and noted previous occurrences where individuals with malafide intent planted objects like insects or stones in their outlets’ food.
• Bengaluru police have initiated an inquiry into the matter.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This incident highlights critical issues surrounding organized fraud targeting businesses, notably prominent ones operating in high-footfall areas like airports. If validated by police investigations, attempts at blackmail using staged contamination incidents could set alarming precedents for brand exploitation through social media activism or misuse of consumer rights provisions.

The management’s emphasis on maintaining hygiene standards aligns with potential reputational risks businesses face when dealing with such cases publicly; however, it also speaks to broader concerns about trust between consumers and service providers amid rising misuse of defamation threats online.

From India’s standpoint, this serves as a reminder for stronger legal frameworks addressing digital extortion schemes while ensuring genuine consumer grievances are adequately protected without exploitation loopholes becoming standard practice.

Read More: Published – July 24, 2025 09:42 pm IST