Café Bahar May Resume Ops from Monday

The sudden closure of Café Bahar on October 10 ahd left regular customers of its famous Irani chai and Hyderabadi biryani puzzled. The 51-year-old eatery has been a culinary landmark in Hyderabad.

"Hundreds of people stop by and ask when the restaurant is opening. Some enquire for more details," said Liyakhat Ali, a pan shop owner opposite Café Bahar. "After Deccan Chronicle reported on its closure, mediapersons came and interviewed us."

Ali, whose pan shop has been around for 50 years, reflected on the restaurant's legacy. "I have been at this pan shop for around 40 years. We've seen the hard work and dedication of Café Bahar's founder Syed Hussain Bolooki. He started by serving Irani chai, which was value for money. Their biryani reintroduced the old Hyderabadi taste, and success followed," he recalled.

Regular customers like Younus Bhai, an employee of Fernandez Hospital, and Hira Lal of Niloufer Hospital are excited. "This is our meeting point. We are missing our chai here," they said on Friday. "We are happy that this outlet is opening soon."

Café Bahar was founded in 1973 by Syed Hussain Bolooki. After his passing during the Covid-19 pandemic while visiting his hometown in Iran, disagreements erupted among the family members who inherited the business. The legal dispute centred around the distribution of ownership shares and control over the restaurant's operations.

The family split into two groups: the majority faction led by Bolooki's son Syed Asghar Ali Bolooki, holding 86 per cent ownership, and a minority faction led by family member Bibi Hajjar Dashti, owning the remaining 14 per cent. The Telangana High Court had intervened by removing Asghar Ali from managing the restaurant and appointing an external receiver to oversee operations — a decision that was challenged in the Supreme Court.

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud reinstated Syed Asghar Ali Bolooki as the managing partner. He will oversee Café Bahar's daily operations until a permanent solution to the family dispute is reached. To ensure transparency and fairness, the court ordered an independent valuation of the restaurant's assets, liabilities, and overall worth.

Conditions set by the court:

• Valuation: An independent valuer will assess Café Bahar's value, including income, assets, and liabilities. The report is expected by December 31.

• Deposit: As a security measure, Ayd Asghar Ali Bolooki and his group are required to deposit ₹5 crore to ensure their commitment to responsibly run the restaurant until the settlement process is complete.

• Financial reporting: To prevent mismanagement, the valuer will have a representative monitoring the restaurant's income, and Asghar Ali must submit weekly financial reports.

• First right: Once the valuation is complete, Asghar Ali's group will have the first option to buy out Dashti's 14 per cent share. If they decline, Dashti can choose to purchase the majority 86 per cent shareholding.