Chef Santosh Shah arrested over 450,000 rupee cheque dispute, not purchase

Santosh Kumar Shah, the operator of the Mithila Thali restaurant chain and a well-known chef, has clarified that the case against him is related to a cheque of 450,000 rupees, not a 22.5 million rupee restaurant purchase dispute.

The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested him from Janakpur on Friday based on a complaint filed by Shakuntala Adhikari Thapa. According to the police, Shah is under investigation for allegedly not paying the agreed amount during the purchase of a restaurant in Gauridhara and for some cheques that were not cleared.

Shah stated that after purchasing ‘Sheela Restaurant’, he took responsibility for the existing rent dispute between the landlord and the restaurant, as well as the bank loan. He claimed to have already settled the amount of a 2.5 million rupee cheque and asserted that the current dispute is only about the 450,000 rupee cheque.

Shah expressed dissatisfaction with the arrest process, a viral video on social media, and claimed he was being ‘framed’. He objected to the video clip, stating that it only showed a few seconds of his anger after the other party allegedly misbehaved and spat on him during a nearly three-hour discussion.

Photos – Nepal Photo Library