Waiter arrested after actor alleges beef served as mutton at Park Street bar

A waiter at a popular bar-cum-restaurant on Park Street was arrested on Saturday after an actor and YouTuber accused the establishment of serving him beef instead of mutton, triggering a police investigation and a political backlash.

What the complaint alleges

The incident took place at Olypub, a long-established restaurant in central Kolkata. According to police, actor and social media influencer Sayak Chakraborty visited the restaurant on Friday night with two friends and ordered mutton steak.

Sayak alleged that the group was instead served beef without being informed. “They placed the food on the table and left. We assumed it was mutton, as ordered, and ate it,” he said in a video that later went viral.

The issue reportedly came to light when a second dish was brought to the table, which staff allegedly identified as mutton, indicating that the earlier serving had been beef.

Video and confrontation

In the viral clip, Sayak is seen questioning a restaurant employee about how mutton could have been “misheard” as beef. The waiter is heard admitting that a mistake had occurred. The situation escalated when Sayak referred to his religious identity, expressing shock at being served beef after ordering mutton.

Following the altercation, Sayak left the restaurant and filed a formal complaint at the Park Street Police Station later that night.

Arrest and investigation

Confirming the arrest, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said one employee of the restaurant had been taken into custody based on the complaint. “A case has been registered and an investigation is underway,” the officer said.

Police officials stated that investigators are examining whether the incident resulted from negligence, miscommunication or a deliberate act. The role of other staff members and the restaurant management is also under scrutiny.

Political reaction

The controversy gained momentum after the video circulated widely online. Though Sayak later deleted the clip, it had already been reshared extensively, including by BJP leader and lawyer Tarunjyoti Tewari.

The Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the restaurant, with party leader Keya Ghosh alleging that Hindus were being “soft targets” and questioning how the incident was handled.

The investigation is ongoing, and police said further action would depend on the findings.