Mumbai: Dec 27 (Reporter) A sessions court has granted anticipatory bail to owners of a branch of Idli Guru, a Bengaluru-based restaurant chain which recently opened an outlet in Mumbai, accused of allegedly duping a businessman of Rs 23.6 lakh on the pretext of offering a franchise, a lawyer said here on Friday. Accused Karthik Shetty and his wife Manjula own Idli Guru, the restaurant at Versova in the Mumbai suburb. The restaurant specialises in south Indian food. According to police, the complainant wanted to open a franchise of the restaurant in Versova, Andheri. His father had also contacted the family in January 2024. After discussions, the two parties signed an agreement and selected a location at Lokhandwala. The complainant was asked to pay a franchisee fee of Rs 20 lakh plus GST on the execution of the franchisee agreement. In the bail plea, it was claimed that the complainant only paid Rs 5 lakh on the date of the agreement as a token amount. Thereafter, his father paid the remaining amount in instalments. However, a case against them was filed at Kamakshipalya police station, The court accepted the couple’s contentions and said, “On perusal of the documents on record, it is clear that there is a franchisee agreement. Based on that agreement amount is paid to the applicant by the complainant and his father. The nature of the transaction is purely civil. Prima facie there is no intention of cheating... Due to delay in starting the business, the offence came to be registered against the applicant...////...