Kamal Ghorui
London-based restaurateur Harman Singh Kapoor has announced plans to take legal action against the Metropolitan Police and London Mayor Sadiq Khan after being released from custody following his arrest linked to ongoing tensions surrounding his non-halal restaurant.Kapoor, a Sikh businessman who runs Rangrez, a restaurant in London’s Hammersmith area, wrote in a post on X that he had spent nearly 24 hours in custody after what he described as an “illegal arrest”.“Released after 24 exhausting hours in custody following an illegal arrest, and straight back to work because my family still depends on me,” Kapoor wrote.He claimed he had faced “unfair and continuous discriminatory treatment” and said he intended to pursue legal action against both the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor of London.Kapoor also appealed to supporters to support his restaurant directly rather than donate money online.“I don’t want GoFundMe or handouts. I want to earn it,” he wrote.“If you want to support me, come dine at the non-halal Indian restaurant Rangrez in Hammersmith. Support through community, not charity.”His wife also defended him in a separate post on X, accusing authorities of repeatedly targeting the restaurateur.“This loony toon @metpoliceuk and @MayorofLondon are scared of my husband @kingkapoor72 because he wanted to change London and make it habitable,” she wrote.“Due to this, he is being arrested illegally and unlawfully again and again.”Kapoor has been at the centre of controversy in recent months after publicly promoting Rangrez as a non-halal restaurant.The businessman said the decision was connected to his Sikh faith, which traditionally permits jhatka meat while prohibiting halal slaughter practices for religious reasons.Rangrez, located on Fulham Palace Road in west London, had operated for around 16 years before Kapoor said he was considering closure following months of disputes, online backlash and protests.According to Kapoor, the restaurant became the target of harassment after signs stating “Proudly we don’t sell halal” were displayed at the premises.The situation escalated in March after Kapoor promoted a “Non Halal meetup” at the restaurant through social media, encouraging supporters to gather outside the venue and record any disturbances.
