Michelin-starred restaurant boss denies making an attempt to spike lady’s drink
- Vikas Nath, 61, was arrested at Annabel’s on January 15 after workers known as police
A businessman who owns two Michelin-starred eating places has denied making an attempt to spike a lady’s drink at a non-public members’ membership in London‘s Mayfair.
Vikas Nath, 61, was arrested at unique Annabel’s at Berkeley Square in Mayfair within the early hours of January 15 after workers known as the police.
The father-of-one is accused of making an attempt to manage a substance with intent and of possession of the Class B drug gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) on the identical day.
The first cost states he tried to manage the drug ‘with the intention of stupefying or overpowering her as to allow to allow you to have interaction in sexual exercise’. His alleged sufferer can’t be named for authorized causes.
Nath, of Knightsbridge, London, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Monday, the place he spoke solely to verify his identify and reply ‘not responsible’ when the costs have been put to him.
He was granted bail and informed his trial is not going to be held for one more two years.
Vikas Nath pictured at Southwark Crown Court in London the place he pleaded not responsible to spiking a lady’s drink at Annabel’s
Vikas Nath, 61, was arrested at unique Annabel’s at Berkeley Square in Mayfair within the early hours of January 15 after workers known as the police (file picture)
GBL is a precursor chemical to GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) which is colourless and sometimes used as a leisure drug.
Dressed in a blue shirt and tie, and black and white pin-striped go well with, Nath didn’t seem within the dock for the 10-minute listening to as a result of he has a listening to downside.
A trial, estimated to final 4 to 5 days, was mounted for February 2026.
Judge Philip Bartle KC informed him: ‘As you’ve got pleaded not responsible, there might be a trial, sadly not for some appreciable time.’
The defendant was granted bail after a £50,000 surety was paid.
He should reside and sleep at his residence and give up his British and American passports.
He should not journey south of the river Thames except to attend courtroom, and stays at residence between 11pm and 7am.
Vikas Nath (far left), pictured with Jemima Khan, Sadiq Khan and Ben Goldsmith at a Pakistan flood attraction charity dinner at Benares restaurant in London’s Mayfair on January 10, 2023
Nath is a director of Terminal, which is behind high-end Indian restaurant Benares in Mayfair
He can also be banned from coming into a licensed premises that sells alcohol and he can’t contact the alleged sufferer, both straight or not directly.
The firm director has a ‘portfolio’ of seven eating places within the UK and Spain, together with two Michelin-starred institutions.
He is a director of Terminal Ltd, which is behind high-end Indian restaurant Benares, in Mayfair.
Nath was beforehand pictured posing with Jemima Khan, Sadiq Khan and Ben Goldsmith at a Pakistan floods attraction charity dinner at Benares in January final yr.
