Police filed an FIR in the Borivali police station after the sisters visited a local dosa shop in September, alleging they had acted to extort money from the owner.
The incident was triggered when a customer discovered a dead rat in a dish, and a video of the find went viral, prompting the Food and Drug Administration to suspend the restaurant’s license on September 28.
The owner claimed the sisters threatened to file a formal police case and release the video unless they paid a hefty sum – the sisters initially demanded Rs 25 lakh, but negotiations settled on Rs 7 lakh, of which the owner paid a Rs 1 lakh advance on September 30.
Between October 1 and 5, the sisters sent WhatsApp messages demanding the remaining Rs 6 lakh; police laid a trap at the restaurant on the day the payment was due, but instead of arresting them, the officers served formal notices.
Under Section 308 of the Indian Penal Code, the case is classified as extortion and further investigation is underway, with the police monitoring both sisters for any future attempts to intimidate the shop owner.
The closure of the restaurant has left a small community of workers and regular patrons stunned, with one regular customer lamenting that the incident has forced him to find a new place to eat because the once bustling dosa shop is now silent.