Two Bengaluru restaurant owners arrested for allegedly serving beef as mutton
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Bengaluru: Police in Bengaluru have arrested two restaurant proprietors after customers alleged they were served beef while being told it was mutton.
The accused have been identified as Jiju Alexander of Byrathi village and Shibu KB of Tippanna Layout. Both Kerala natives were living in a rented house in Byrathi and run Icyri Hub Kayaloram Restaurant in Bommanahalli, police said.
Several diners complained that dishes marketed as mutton tasted and felt different from lamb, prompting a covert probe. A plain clothes officer posing as a customer purchased items labelled as mutton and submitted samples for testing. Preliminary verification reportedly showed the meat was beef.
Authorities registered a case under the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020. The two men were arrested, produced before court and remanded to judicial custody; they have been sent to a central prison. Police said a third partner, Abhilash, is absconding and search operations are under way.
Officials said investigations will continue, including examination of procurement records and further food tests. Consumers were urged to report suspected cases of food misrepresentation.