Police in Ghaziabad have registered a case against four alleged office-bearers of the Hindu Raksha Dal after a cafe owner in Indirapuram accused them of repeatedly leaving without paying, threatening to shut her business and demanding ₹50,000 a month as extortion. The woman had appealed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for justice before the case was filed.
The case was registered at Indirapuram police station against Amit Pahalwan, Daksh Chaudhary, Akku Pandit and Saurabh Pandit, according to the report. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Indirapuram, Suryabali Maurya, confirmed that a case had been registered and said the matter was being investigated.
According to the cafe owner’s complaint, members associated with the organisation visited her cafe on several occasions, consumed food and beverages and left without paying the bill. She alleged that when she asked for payment, they abused her and threatened to have the cafe closed. She also alleged that the group created a disturbance at the premises and intimidated her.
The woman further alleged that the accused demanded ₹50,000 every month. She told police that, out of fear, she paid ₹25,000 but was later pressured for the remaining amount. The allegations have not been established in court, and the police investigation is underway.
The case places the safety of small urban businesses at the centre of a dispute involving alleged intimidation and the use of organised influence. For a cafe operator, a threat to force closure can affect employees, customers, suppliers and the continuity of a licensed commercial premises. The police case will determine whether the alleged incidents, payment demands and threats can be supported by evidence.
A video connected to the dispute has also circulated on social media. The footage reportedly shows several Hindu Raksha Dal office-bearers celebrating a worker’s birthday at the cafe. The video is said to have been recorded in February, but Live Hindustan said it could not independently verify the footage. Police are examining the video as part of the investigation.
The development followed another video released two days earlier by Hindu Raksha Dal workers, who alleged that the cafe was being operated illegally. In a separate video, the cafe owner accused the group’s office-bearers of refusing to pay bills, creating a disturbance, damaging property, issuing threats and demanding what she described as ‘goonda tax’. She appealed to the chief minister for intervention.
The police have not announced any conclusion on the competing claims regarding the cafe’s legality or the alleged conduct of the individuals named in the FIR. ACP Suryabali Maurya said the investigation would continue and that action would be taken against those found responsible after the inquiry is completed.
