Kolkata: A waiter arrested for allegedly serving "wrong meat" to a social media influencer at Olypub last week was granted bail on Tuesday after the state told the court that the investigation had found no evidence of any deliberate act.
The complainant, Sayak Chakraborty, who announced on social media that he would withdraw the case, however, did not make any appeal before the court on Tuesday. Legal experts clarified that since the waiter, Sheikh Nasimuddin, was arrested for a non-compoundable offence, the case cannot be withdrawn at this stage and can only be dismissed by the magistrate after police submit a charge sheet.
Nasimuddin was virtually produced before the court of CJM Payel Banerjee as his lawyers, deputed by Olypub, demanded his bail. The magistrate asked the state counsel about the findings of the investigation, to which he said the investigation so far found nothing to justify that he deliberately served wrong meat.
"The magistrate was convinced that it was a genuine mistake on the part of the waiter and that he did not do it intentionally. In fact, the police should probe to find out why the influencer raised the issue only after he finished his plate. We believe the influencer did it intentionally to shoot controversial content and get more views," said Rajesh Kumar Gupta, one of the lawyers representing the waiter.
The restaurant management said the waiter was very much part of their team and that he would be back in service at the restaurant. "There is not any break in employment. He is still our employee. He went through very hard days. Once he comes out, we will speak to him. But he will continue his work as a waiter at Olypub, and we are not taking any action against him," a senior official of pub management said.
On whether the management was gauging options to file any counter-complaint against the influencer, the official said: "We would not like to continue any matter that can cause any sort of further issues. We want the matter to be settled as soon as possible."