CHENNAI: Rejecting a popular biryani chain’s contention that the news about dozens of people falling sick after consuming food from one of its outlets in September 2024 was false news, the Chennai North District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed it to compensate two customers.

The ruling came after a year-long legal process initiated by C Nagarajan and Radhika, both residents of Kodungaiyur, who bought food from the SS Hyderabadi Biryani outlet in Kodungaiyur on September 16, 2024.

According to Nagarajan, he experienced severe stomach pain and diarrhoea after consuming chicken biryani and chicken balls. His hospitalisation led to a week of lost wages, with a full recovery taking over ten days. Radhika said she and three minors fell ill after eating chicken biryani and fried chicken, and had to spend more than Rs 1 lakh for medical and related expenses.

Both of them filed a complaint with Kodungaiyur police alleging that the outlet sold decomposed chicken. The investigation is still pending. Meanwhile, the restaurant claimed that the allegations were “false news” spread to damage its reputation.

However, the consumer commission bench, presided over by president D Gopinath and member V Ramamurthy, found the complaints to be credible. The proceedings revealed that this was not an isolated event, with the counsel stating that nearly 40 people were affected after eating food from the restaurant.

Finding a clear “deficiency in service” on the part of the restaurant, the commission ordered it to pay compensation. Nagarajan was awarded Rs 25,000, while Radhika, whose entire family was affected, was awarded Rs 50,000. The compensation covers medical costs, physical harm, mental agony, and litigation expenses. The restaurant has been given two months to pay the amounts, failing which the sum will attract 9% annual interest until it is realised.