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It's life as usual at Pasand restaurant

R S Shankar

It is Friday evening. Most Indian restaurants in the Silicon Valley wait for the weekend, starting with Friday evening, for strong business.

While other Indian restaurants are nearly full, Pasand, near Santa Clara, has hardly any room. In fact, there is a small line waiting for a table.

This was the one of the two Pasand restaurants that saw an impassioned vigil and demonstration against its owner just a few days ago. The event was widely covered by the print and electronic media. It was page one news in the San Francisco Examiner. The other restaurant is in Berkeley, where its owner Lakireddy Bali Reddy owns and rents over 1,000 apartments.

The vigil and demonstrations outside the two Pasand restaurants owned by Lakireddy Bali Reddy and his family were held to honor the memory of a 17-year-old girl, known till recently as Sitha, who had died of carbon monoxide poisoning in one of Reddy's apartments. He is charged with having sex with her.

Many patrons at the Santa Clara restaurant admitted knowing about the cases against Reddy and his younger son, Vijay Kumar Lakireddy. Their reaction to the cases against the father and son were in black and white, and every shade of gray.

"I am paying money for my moong masala dosa," said a student who was displeased with a reporter who was asking him to comment about the many charges against Reddy.

"I ask for service, I get the service and I go home happy."

The charges against Reddy and his son have not been proved, he said.

"And why do these women condemn him before a court of law decides whether he is guilty or not? What happened to the notion that you are innocent till proven guilty?"

He was angry that Indians initiated the candlelight vigil and a second protest. His feelings were echoed by many Indian patrons.

"May be Reddy did something wrong," said another customer. "But why should our own press write long articles?" He paused for a moment. "American papers would be too delighted to run negative stories about our community because from time to time they have run many positive stories about the success of Indians in Silicon Valley."

"It was a political decision for American publications on the west coast to run long anti-Reddy stories. They will run such stories when an Indian motel owner or two get into trouble," he continued. "It is natural for them to write such stories. But I am not surprised that our Indian media is trying to ape Americans."

"I can't believe that people are still going out to eat at his restaurants," said one demonstrator who had driven over 60 miles to join the protest. She had noticed that business was down for a few days since Reddy's arrest and subsequent release.

"Apparently, people are able to distance themselves from the tragedy, go on with their own lives and fun," she said with a heavy sigh.

In a related development, Lakireddy Bali Reddy, and Vijay Kumar Lakireddy said they were innocent of all charges leveled against them. They were in the court of Judge Wayne Brazil on Monday. The judge earlier had released the father on $ 10 million bail while the son remained free after he posted $ 500,000.

Reddy and his immediate family have assets worth over $ 62 million. According to many sources, their assets are worth more than $ 70 million.

Together they are slapped with nine counts issued by a grand jury. If they are found guilty they could get long sentences -- at least 70 years in prison for Reddy and about 25 years for his son.

The investigation into Reddy's affairs began after one of three teenage girls allegedly smuggled into the United States died of carbon monoxide poisoning last November.

Soon a whispering campaign started, asserting that the man and woman posing as 'Sitha's' parents were actually not related to her. And that they were actually brother and sister.

Both men declined to comment as they left the courtroom in a hurry. Lakireddy, looking ebullient, joined his wife and twin children, and drove away.

Ted Cassman, attorney for Reddy, said he was not surprised at the number of anti-Reddy sentiments. He suggested that many people were coming forward with anti-Reddy stories to save their skins. They had heard from several politicians, particularly Senator Dianne Fienstein (Democrat), that immunity would be given to those who helped authorities build a case against the businessman.

The Reddys are next due in court on February 15, when they will appear before Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong, who will preside over their trial.

EARLIER REPORT:
Conspiracy charges slapped on Reddys

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