Vikas Nath, a 63-year-old Indian-origin restaurateur who owns Michelin-starred venues including Benares in London, is currently on trial. He stands accused of spiking a woman’s spicy margarita with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a Class B drug often linked to date-rape incidents. The alleged incident occurred on January 15, 2024, at the exclusive Mayfair private members’ club Annabel’s, where CCTV captured Nath using a straw to transfer liquid from a small bottle into her drink while she briefly stepped away.
Alert club staff noticed the suspicious behavior, swiftly replaced the tainted cocktail before the woman could consume it, and called the police. Nath reportedly attempted to dispose of the bottle by hiding it in a toilet cistern, but officers recovered it. He has admitted to adding the substance but denies any intent to stupefy or overpower her for sexual purposes, insisting he only wanted to help her “relax” as she appeared anxious.
Nath, who has no prior convictions, expressed regret in court, stating that what he did was “wrong.” Prosecutors argue the act was deliberate, while the defense portrays it as misguided rather than criminal.
