July 28,2025:
Popular South Indian restaurant chain Rameshwaram Cafe has reportedly received a ₹25 lakh extortion demand after a fake video showing an insect in its food at the Bengaluru airport outlet went viral on social media. The incident has triggered a police investigation and raised concerns over the growing misuse of digital platforms to target businesses.
According to officials from the cafe, the video was circulated with the malicious intent to damage the brand’s reputation. After the footage gained traction online, the cafe management launched an internal probe and approached cyber experts, who later confirmed that the video had been doctored.
Shortly after the video was circulated, the perpetrators contacted the cafe, demanding ₹25 lakh in exchange for not releasing further fake content. The Rameshwaram Cafe management lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru police, citing criminal intimidation and extortion.
A senior police official confirmed that an FIR has been registered and that the cybercrime division is working to trace the individuals behind the extortion attempt. “We have gathered initial digital evidence and are in the process of identifying the culprits,” the official said.
The founders of Rameshwaram Cafe have issued a public statement denying the allegations made in the video and urging customers not to believe misinformation spread on social media. “We maintain the highest hygiene standards across all our outlets, including our airport branch. This is clearly an attempt to malign our reputation and extort money through fabricated content,” the statement read.
This is not the first time a popular eatery has been targeted through social media. Industry experts say there is a rising trend of digital extortion in the food and hospitality sector, with criminals exploiting the viral nature of online content to blackmail businesses.
The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has condemned the incident and called for stricter cybercrime regulations to protect food businesses from such attacks. “We are seeing an increase in false complaints and manipulated videos being used to harass restaurants. It’s time the law catches up with these evolving threats,” an NRAI spokesperson said.
Rameshwaram Cafe, known for its dosas and filter coffee, is a popular destination among food lovers in Bengaluru and has rapidly expanded in recent years. The airport outlet, where the alleged incident took place, has been operating under strict FSSAI guidelines, according to the cafe’s management.
As the investigation continues, the incident has highlighted the vulnerability of businesses in the digital era and the urgent need for stronger safeguards against online defamation and cyber extortion.
