On 1st February, Olypub, a Kolkata-based bar and restaurant located at Park Street, issued a formal apology on social media for serving beef to Brahmin actor turned YouTuber Sayak Chakraborty. In the post on Instagram, Olypub said they are “truly sorry” for the “unintentional error”.
Restaurant issued apology
In the official statement, Olypub described the incident as a “very serious but unintentional error” by a staff member. The restaurant further added that there was no harm intended and apologised for hurting the customer’s sentiments. They further emphasised its legacy and claimed to have stood for respect irrespective of caste, creed, religion, or gender, and reiterated its commitment to treating customers and staff with dignity.
Brahmin actor served beef
The matter dates back to the evening of 30th January when Chakraborty visited the establishment with two friends and ordered a mutton steak. According to his complaint, the dish served to him was beef, which led to a heated exchange between him and the Muslim waiter who brought his food. During the argument, the restaurant management also got involved. A video of the confrontation was recorded and shared by Chakraborty, which went viral on social media.
Police action and counter complaint
Following the incident, Chakraborty filed a complaint at Park Street Police Station. Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for hurting religious sentiments, after which the waiter, Sheikh Nasiruddin, was arrested by the police. He was produced before a court and denied bail.
The matter escalated further when a Howrah resident filed a counter complaint against Chakraborty, accusing him of attempting to incite communal unrest.
Actor withdrew complaint
While the restaurant faced criticism on social media, Chakraborty also faced criticism for the way he handled the situation. Chakraborty later announced that he was withdrawing his complaint against both the waiter and the restaurant. In a video message posted on his stories, he said the apology had been issued and urged people not to create any narratives around the incident. He admitted that he had gone to the police in anger and said his reaction may also have been negative.
Chakraborty added that he had never knowingly consumed beef and would be more careful in future. He also said he did not wish to be involved in similar controversies while making vlogs, putting an end to the controversy from his end. The video of the confrontation with the waiter and hotel management has since been deleted from his social media accounts.
