Fresh off an overnight stay in jail, the relatively new owner of Sal’s Pizza and Restaurant says his very public arrest during dinner time on Tuesday evening was based on erroneous information given to police and that he was the victim of a robbery set up.

Musa Neishewat, who purchased the popular Norwood eatery last winter, said police entered his packed restaurant on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., saying they were told that drugs and guns were being sold from his establishment. Neishewat said he told the officers they could look at video recordings from his security camera system, which stores six months worth of back footage, and see that nothing of the sort was happening. But police continued their search of the premises and, ultimately, discovered a shotgun in Neishewat’s office that Neishewat says is registered to his brother who is living in California. Although police didn’t discover any drugs or other weapons, he said police escorted him out of his own restaurant and placed him under arrest for harboring a weapon without a license. (He said his brother was on his way from California to clear up the license issue.)

[Update, 9:54 a.m. This morning, Sgt. Brendan Ryan, a spokesman for the NYPD, said police officers “executed a valid search warrant” at Sal’s and discovered a loaded handgun, a shotgun and a small amount of marijuana. Neishewat is being charged with criminal possession of a weapon, which is a felony, and possession of marijuana, which is a violation (like a parking ticket). Ryan said the robbery of Sal’s happened yesterday morning between 10 and 11:15 a.m. and is still under investigation. He said thieves made off with “approximately $2,000.”]

But Neishewat said he was never charged with a crime and released without having to post bail the next day after seeing a judge. On Wednesday evening, a spokesperson for the Bronx District Attorney’s office said it didn’t have information about his arraignment yet.

Neishewat said he believes he was set up by somebody who called police and supplied them with false information. While he was sitting in jail overnight, his store was broken into and some $200 was taken from his office. He’s not sure how they broke in and said police are still investigating.

Inspector Joseph Dowling, the commanding officer of the 52nd Precinct, confirmed only that someone had been arrested at Sal’s address and said he needed more time to provide further details. Dowling confirmed that he had a report on his desk about the robbery, but said he didn’t want to go into specifics until speaking with detectives.

On Wednesday afternoon, everything looked normal at Sal’s. Customers sat at the tables, gobbling up pasta and drinking wine. Staff, including former owner Sal Calces , who said he came back to work Wednesdays a few weeks ago because he “missed his friends,” were busy filling orders and handing out slices. Calces chatted up a group of diners and chased away a homeless man.

Following his release from jail, Neishewat was eager to clear his name, but also wanted to let people know that he would not be intimidated or deterred or distracted from running his restaurant. In an interview, Neishewat said he believes somebody jealous of his success — though he’s quick to point out that he doesn’t flaunt it or talk about it — wanted to ruin his name and make off with his earnings.

Although the public arrest was embarrassing, Neishewat said it amounts to nothing. And the robbery of $200? He hopes they catch the perpetrators.

“It’s very upsetting,” he said, defiantly. “I bust my [butt] for 15 hours a day. Let the haters hate.”