Chef Santosh Sah Says Dispute Concerns Rs 450,000 Cheque

Kathmandu. Santosh Kumar Sah, operator of the Mithila Thali chain restaurant and a well-known chef, has said the case against him is not related to a Rs 2.5 million restaurant purchase dispute, but only to a cheque worth Rs 450,000.

The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office arrested Sah from Janakpur on Friday based on a complaint filed by Shakuntala Adhikari Thapa. According to police, Sah is under investigation over allegations that he failed to pay the agreed amount while purchasing a restaurant in Gauridhara, Kathmandu, and that some cheques were not cleared.

Sah, however, has claimed that after purchasing Sheela Restaurant in Gauridhara, he also took responsibility for an old rent dispute between the landlord and the restaurant, as well as bank loan obligations.

According to Sah, the amount related to a cheque worth Rs 2.5 million has already been paid. He said the current dispute concerns only a cheque of Rs 450,000 and argued that it has been wrongly presented as a large restaurant purchase dispute.

Sah has also expressed dissatisfaction over the arrest process and a video clip that went viral on social media. He claimed that he was being deliberately framed and said the public video did not show the full context of the incident.

According to Sah, the discussion with the other side lasted about three hours, during which he alleged that he was mistreated. He also claimed that someone spat at him and that only a few seconds showing his angry reaction were edited and shared on social media.

Police said the investigation is being carried out based on the complaint and available documents. Further details are expected to become clear after the investigation.