HYDERABAD : The Paradise food court has filed a complaint against an Instagram handle — Telangana crime files 2023 — for uploading a reportedly fake and defamatory video about the quality of the haleem they sell at the restaurant.
The complaint, filed by Maqsood Ahmed of the Paradise food court, said the Instagram account was sharing a defamatory video on Paradise on different social media profiles.
According to Ahmed, a customer, Mansoor Shaik, visited their Begumpet outlet on Monday and purchased mutton haleem for Rs 290. After about an hour, Shaik returned to the store and alleged that they had sold him a haleem that was sour in taste and had a foul smell.
In the video, the customer also reportedly claimed that the restaurant had a fresh sample for tasting but their packed haleem was from an older batch.
Upon examination, Paradise said the haleem that the customer had returned with, was allegedly adulterated with water and other materials, making it less viscous than the one the restaurant had prepared.
However, the complainant said the outlet workers had offered to refund Shaik the amount he had paid for the haleem. Meanwhile, they also alleged that he took out his phone and recorded a video with misleading information that would defame the restaurant. Shaik then purportedly demanded Rs 5,000 from the outlet to not upload the video.
Although one of the workers had paid him Rs 5,000, the video was shared on social media platforms to defame Paradise, the complainant shared.
Stating that the Instagram channel that uploaded the video had not visited the outlet, Paradise said the customer and the channel had allegedly hatched a criminal conspiracy to extort money and defame Paradise Food Court.
Paradise Food Court’s CEO, Gautam Gupta, said, “We have taken the matter seriously and raised a complaint with the police as we have various evidence that the video is manipulated and has been made up with an intention to defame the brand.”
Begumpet police have registered a case against Mansoor Shaik and Mahboob Hussain, the owner of the Instagram account, under Section 384 r/w 34 of the Indian Penal Code on charges of extortion and joint culpability.
‘Took Rs 5k to not upload video’
Paradise said the haleem that the customer had returned with, was allegedly adulterated with water and other materials, making it less viscous than the one the restaurant had prepared. The complaint said the employees offered to refund Shaik the amount he had paid for the haleem. Shaik then purportedly demanded Rs 5,000 from the outlet to not upload the video. Despite being paid, he uploaded the video, the complainant said.