Chennai: R. Siva Kumar, 41, part owner of Saravana Bhavan, a worldwide chain of south Indian restaurants, was arrested late Saturday night for allegedly attempting to obtain US visas for employees using forged documents, the police said.

"The arrest was made following a complaint from the US Consulate whose officials discovered forged documents," said an official from the state police's crime investigation department.

The consulate's complaints had led to arrests of two actresses Flora Saini and Sri Latha on similar charges March 11 this year.

Kumar's father Rajagopal is out on bail in a case involving an employee's murder.

The restaurant chain has 47 outlets in India and seven abroad, including one each in Canada and the US.

This is the first time that a top restaurant chain's owner has been arrested on this charge, police officials added.

Source : IANS