Vikas Nath, a 63-year-old Indian-origin businessman and owner of several high-end restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Benares, has admitted in a London court to spiking a woman’s drink at the exclusive Mayfair club, Annabel’s, reported NDTV.
The incident occurred on 15 January 2024, when Nath allegedly used a straw to surreptitiously add gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a Class B drug, into the victim’s cocktail.
While he admits to the act, he has denied any sexual intent, claiming he only wanted to help the woman relax during a stressful time.
The alert actions of the club staff prevented the victim from consuming the drink, leading to Nath’s arrest and ongoing trial at Southwark Crown Court as of early February 2026.
Vikas Nath Spiking Case
The court proceedings revealed that the victim had met Nath roughly six times prior to the incident and viewed him as a caring, generous friend who often paid for their meals. She testified that she had become acclimatised to him using a small straw to taste her drinks under the guise of ensuring they were of high quality.
On the night of the incident, the victim invited Nath to Annabel’s, a club where she had been a member since she was 18. While she was away from the table showing friends around the rooftop garden, staff reportedly observed Nath retrieving a small Madagascan vanilla extract bottle from his pocket and using a straw to transfer liquid into her margarita.
The quick-thinking bar staff replaced the spiked drink with a fresh one, telling the victim it was because her first cocktail tasted watery, and then warned her of the tampering.
Contradicting Claims
Prosecutor Tim Clark KC argued that Nath’s admission of spiking was unavoidable because the entire act was captured on high-definition CCTV. Despite Nath’s claim that the GBL was merely a relaxant he used for himself and to help the woman calm down, the prosecution highlighted text messages he sent to a friend shortly before the incident.
In these messages, Nath expressed frustration that the victim was not biting and indicated a desire for sexual activity. Furthermore, jurors were informed that police found two more bottles of GBL at Nath’s Knightsbridge home, alongside a motion-activated camera in his bedroom that he admitted using to covertly record sexual activity in the past.
Detective Inspector Kieron Vaughan of the Metropolitan Police praised the vigilance of the venue staff, stating that their intervention was crucial in preventing a potentially devastating crime.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we are deeply disturbed by the breach of trust and the calculated nature of this incident. The defence that a powerful, prohibited substance was administered to relax a person without their consent is not only legally untenable but morally bankrupt.
True friendship and professional success should be built on the foundations of safety, consent, and mutual respect. This case serves as a chilling reminder that predators can often hide behind a facade of generosity and mentorship.
We applaud the staff at Annabel’s for their bravery and vigilance, proving that a proactive community and alert service workers are vital in making public spaces safer for everyone. We must continue to foster a culture where consent is non-negotiable and where we look out for one another with genuine empathy and care.
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