Chef reveals secret tape of Barry Thandi `broken leg' warning

THE former trusted chef at the Castle Hill hotel today revealed the extent of his bitter dispute with the Thandi brothers.

Father-of-two Zahir Khan, 46, secretly taped Barry Thandi saying he could have his legs and hands broken, in a dispute with the Thandis' GP Dr Satisha Handa.

At the time, Mr Khan's wife Ravinder was suing Dr Handa for unfair dismissal after losing her job as receptionist at his surgery in Green Road, Fartown.

In an alleged attempt to stop the Khans pursuing Dr Handa through the courts, Barry Thandi was secretly recorded telling the head chef his hands and legs could be broken.

A transcript of the conversation - which took place at Castle Hill on October 17, 2004 - was submitted as evidence at Mr Khan's own case for unfair dismissal against the Thandi Partnership in Leeds in July.

The following is an extract from the tape played to the court.

Zahir Khan: "You are going to Handa talking about me, why? I have not talked to anyone about you."

Barry Thandi: "After paying your wages I am not going to talk about you, I am not stupid."

Khan: "Then why are you doing it? That is what you are doing."

Thandi: "I never talk. I talked about your attitude yesterday - first time. Did I talk before?"

Khan: "On that day also you telephoned me and told me to be careful. He can get your hands and legs broken."

Thandi: "He can get it done."

Khan: "How can he get it done? Is there any law and order here or not?"

Thandi: "Here they break, here they break."

Khan: "Let's see, who can break mine?"

Thandi: "Look, listen to me, your attitude is ..."

Khan: "My attitude is absolutely OK. If someone threatens me I will show my attitude. If someone threatens me to break my hands and legs will I still keep my attitude?"

Mrs Khan continued with her case against Dr Handa but lost the court battle.

Dr Handa strongly denies any involvement, and claimed the Thandi brothers are simply his patients not his friends and he has never knowingly been involved in any threatening behaviour.

He said: "The Thandis are not friends of mine, they are my patients. I cannot understand why I have been mentioned.

"I have never had a problem with anybody in my whole career and I have certainly never been involved in any threatening behaviour."

Mr Khan won his case for unfair dismissal and was awarded £1,130 and a further £1,050 in unpaid holidays.

The dispute ended in court as the Thandi Partnership claimed Mr Khan had left of his own accord.

But transcribed conversations led the court to rule the correct procedures had not been taken and Mr Khan had been dismissed unfairly.

Mr Khan has left his Netherton home and moved outside Huddersfield.

He said: "At first working for the Thandis was good and we were friends but in the end it was a nightmare.

"It all started to go wrong when my wife had a dispute with her employer. Then Barry Thandi started to pressure me.

"In the end because I would not do as I was told and I believe that is why they sacked me."

The Thandi brothers refused to comment.