Two chefs have been cleared of restraining and stabbing the owner of a curry house metres away from customers.

Aziz Miah, 54, of Clayton Road, in Chessington, was cleared of stabbing his business partner Mohammed Rahman at the Red Rose of Chessington on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at Kingston Crown Court today.

Fellow chef Mohammed Fayzur Rahman, 39, of Lonsdale Avenue, in East Ham, who is not related to the victim, was accused of having held onto him during the attack, which was alleged to have taken place in the restaurant’s kitchen.

Both were acquitted of intent to do and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Tuesday, January, 26: Chef Aziz Miah accused of stabbing business partner metres away from customers in Red Rose curry house in Chessington

The court heard how Mr Aziz and Mr Rahman, who were business partners, had argued over a letter issued to Mr Miah expelling him from the restaurant. He was due to leave the following day.

Mr Rahman said: “Our business had gone down, people complained. One lady had been sick because of his food.

“We had a health visitor visit the restaurant, we got a zero rating because of his behaviour.”

Surrey Comet:

Mr Miah and Mr Rahman were arguing over an expulsion letter ordering Mr Miah to leave the business

Mr Rahman was going to collect a takeaway order from the kitchen when the alleged attack occurred.

Mr Miah told the court how it was Mr Rahman who confronted him in the kitchen of the restaurant while he was preparing food.

Speaking in his native Bengali, Mr Miah said: “I was cooking and making food for the customers, after preparing the food for the customers I was getting ready for the staff curry.

“I had washed the knife and turned around and at that time he had put the takeaway on the side and grabbed my arm.

“At first I thought why had he held my arm? Then I realised he grabbed me with force and pulled me.”

The prosecution had argued that following the confrontation Mr Miah ran to his home, washed his hands of any blood and when questioned by his daughter told her he had attacked someone.

Detective sergeant Lee Tullett read from a transcript of a police interview held with Mr F. Rahman the day after the alleged attack, during which he said he was in a nearby toilet when a “fight” broke out between the pair.

Mr Rahman said: “From outside the toilet it was not possible to understand what was going on actually. I ran because I could hear them screaming.

“I didn’t see who was holding the knife, I was just pushing them apart. I came and I separated them.”