UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

-----------------------------------------------------------------------X

HELAL AHMED, PARVEZ ALI, MD. G. MIAH,

ENAMUL SHAKUR, CARLOS ORTIZ, 07 Civ. 3512 (JSR) (FM)

GRZEGORZ KOCIECKI, MAHBUBUL KARIM,

TANVIR SHAHID, ADRIAN DOMINGUEZ RESENDIZ,

CESAR ABAMBARI, HORACIO HERNANDEZ,

JOSE REYES, PATRICIO GONZALEZ,

SHAILENDRA SHRESTHA, AND ROHIT TALWAR, ANSWER TO THIRD

MARCOS REYES, ROBERTO SEGUNDO, AMENDED COMPLAINT

FELIX SEGUNDO, and AUGUSTIN REYES, on behalf of

themselves and other similarly situated current and

former restaurant workers employed by defendants,

JURY TRIAL DEMANDED

Plaintiffs,

-againstDEVI RESTAURANT, LTD., RAKESH AGGARWAL,

SUVIR SARAN, and HEMANT MATHUR,

Defendants.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------X

Defendants, 8 East 18th Street Restaurant, LLC, s/h/a Devi Restaurant, Ltd.,

(“Devi”),andRakeshAggarwal,bytheirattorneysMitchell & Incantalupo, as and for their

answer to the Third Amended Complaint, allege and state that they:

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

1. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“1”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that Plaintiffs purport to proceed against Defendants as set

forth therein.

2. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“2”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that Devi was owned and operated by defendant Aggarwal until

approximately August 27, 2007, when the restaurant closed.

3. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“3”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 1 of 9
4. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“4”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that Plaintiffs purport to proceed as set forth therein.

JURISDICTION

5. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“5”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that the jurisdiction of this Court is purportedly invoked as set

forth therein.

6. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“6”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that Plaintiffs purport to proceed as set forth therein.

7. Admit that Devi was located in Manhattan.

PARTIES

8. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“8”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that some of the Plaintiffs used to work for Devi serving

customers.

9. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“9”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that some of the Plaintiffs used to work for Devi in the kitchen.

10. Deny that they possess knowledge or information sufficient to form a

beliefastothetruthorfalsityoftheallegationssetforthinparagraph“10”oftheThird

Amended Complaint.

11. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“11”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint require a response and affirmatively assert that the meaning and construction

of the statutes are for the Court to determine.

12. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“12”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that Devi had annual gross sales in excess of $500,000.00.

Defendants further affirmatively respond that Devi was a limited liability corporation

formed and organized under the laws of the State of New York in 2002 under the name

8 East 18th Street Restaurant, LLC.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 2 of 9
13. Admit so much of the allegations set forthinparagraph“13”oftheThird

Amended Complaint as asserts that Aggarwal was sole owner of Devi until recently, but

deny that he still has any power over the management of the new restaurant.

14. Deny that they have knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief

astothetruthorfalsityoftheallegationssetforthinparagraph“14”oftheThird

Amended Complaint.

15. Deny that they have knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief

as to the truth or falsity of the allegations set forthinparagraph“15”oftheThird

Amended Complaint.

16. Deny that they have knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief

astothetruthorfalsityoftheallegationssetforthinparagraph“16”oftheThird

Amended Complaint.

17. Deny the allegationssetforthinparagraph“17”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint require a response and affirmatively assert that the meaning and construction

of the statutes are for the Court to determine.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

18. Deny the allegations set forth in paragraph“18”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

19. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“19”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

20. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“20”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

21. Deny the allegations set forth in paragraph“21”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

22. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“22”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 3 of 9
23. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“23”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

24. Deny the allegations set forth in paragraph“24”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

25. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“25”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

26. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“26”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

27. Deny the allegations set forth inparagraph“27”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

28. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“28”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

29. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“29”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

30. Deny the allegations setforthinparagraph“30”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

31. Deny thatthe allegations setforth in paragraph “31”ofthe Third

Amended Complaint require a response.

32. Admittheallegationssetforthinparagraph“32”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

33. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“33”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

34. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“34”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint, except admit that another restaurant has opened at the same location.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 4 of 9
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION

36. Defendants Devi and Aggarwal repeat, reiterate and reallege each and

everyanswercontainedinparagraphs“1”through“35”asifmorefullysetforthatlength

herein.

37. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“37”oftheThird Amended

Complaint.

38. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“38”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

39. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“39”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

40. Defendants Devi and Aggarwal repeat, reiterate and reallege each and

everyanswercontainedinparagraphs“1”through“39”asifmorefullysetforthatlength

herein.

41. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“41”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

42. Deny the allegations set forthinparagraph“42”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

43. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“43”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION

44. Defendants Devi and Aggarwal repeat, reiterate and reallege each and

every answer containedinparagraphs“1”through“43”asifmorefullysetforthatlength

herein.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 5 of 9
45. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“45”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

46. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“46”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION

47. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“46”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

48. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“48”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

49. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“49”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

50. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“50”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

51. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“51”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION

52. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“51”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

53. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“53”oftheThird Amended

Complaint.

54. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“54”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

55. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“55”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 6 of 9
SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION

56. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“55”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

57. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“57”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

58. Deny the allegations set forth in paragraph“58”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

59. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“59”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

SEVENTH CAUSE OF ACTION

60. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“59”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

61. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“61”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

62. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“62”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

63. Deny the allegations set forthinparagraph“63”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

EIGHTH CAUSE OF ACTION

64. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“63”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

65. Deny the allegationssetforthinparagraph“65”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

66. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“66”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 7 of 9
67. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“67”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

NINTH CAUSE OF ACTION

68. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“68”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

69. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“69”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

70. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“70”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

TWELFTH CAUSE OF ACTION

71. Defendants repeat, reiterate and reallege each and every answer

containedinparagraphs“1”through“70”asifmorefullysetforthatlengthherein.

72. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“72”oftheThird Amended

Complaint.

73. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“73”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

74. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“74”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

75. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“75”oftheThird Amended

Complaint.

76. Denytheallegationssetforthinparagraph“76”oftheThirdAmended

Complaint.

AS AND FOR A FIRST AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE

77. All or part of the claims asserted herein by plaintiffs are barred by the

applicable statute of limitations.

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 8 of 9
AS AND FOR A SECOND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE

78. Defendants had legitimate business reasons for taking any of the acts

alleged by the plaintiffs to have been retaliatory.

AS AND FOR A THIRD AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE

79. Plaintiffs have failed to mitigate their alleged damages.

WHEREFORE, defendants 8 East 18th Street Restaurant, LLC, s/h/a Devi

Restaurant, Ltd., and Rakesh Aggarwal request judgment dismissing the Complaint and

denying all relief requested therein, together with the costs of defending this action,

including reasonable attorney fees.

Dated: November 8, 2007

Forest Hills, New York MITCHELL & INCANTALUPO

By:__________/S/____________

Arthur H. Forman (9646)

98-20 Metropolitan Avenue

Forest Hills, New York 11375

Tel: 718-997-1000

Attorneys for defendants 8 East 18th

Street Restaurant, LLC, s/h/a Devi

Restaurant, Ltd., and Rakesh

Aggarwal

Case 1:07-cv-03512-JSR Document 20 Filed 11/08/2007 Page 9 of 9