KOCHI: Thrikkakara police have intensified the search for the licence holder of Le Hayath Restaurant in Kakkanad involved in the food poisoning and subsequent death of a Pala native after Ernakulam District and Principal Sessions Court dismissed anticipatory bail petitions filed in three cases registered against him. The bail petitions filed by Shihad M P, 46, of Cusat PO, Kalamassery, was dismissed by Judge Honey M Varghese stating that custodial interrogation of the accused is required.
It was at 9.30 pm on October 18 that Rahul D Nair ordered shawarma through Zomato. On October 22, he was hospitalised with symptoms of septicemia. Later, he was shifted to another hospital where he died due to multi-organ failure on October 25. Later, police registered two more cases after two persons who consumed shawarma from the same restaurant were admitted to hospitals at Kakkanad and Palarivattom.
Shihad has been absconding after the incident. “We are in search of the accused. He is not cooperating with the investigation. His custodial interrogation is vital. The investigation is progressing and the only remaining procedure is his interrogation,” a police officer said.
When anticipatory bail petitions were considered by the court, Shihad’s lawyer claimed that around 150 shawarmas were sold on the day the deceased Rahul bought food from their shop. But none of them reported any issues. He also alleged that Rahul had worked on October 19 after consuming shawarma.
He also claimed that Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. There is no evidence to show that the infection was due to the consumption of food supplied from Shihad’s hotel.