Statewide Crackdown By The Food And Drug Administration, Maharashtra

• Crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration against prohibited food items in Beed district; stock worth ₹4.60 lakh and 1 vehicle seized; total seizure ₹10.00 lakh, 1 FIR registered.

• Raid on an edible oil repacking unit in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar; 12,382 kg of suspected adulterated and misbranded edible oil (₹23.35 lakh) seized; food licence suspended.

• Licences/registrations of 3 food establishments (hotels/restaurants, etc.) in Mumbai suspended.

Action Against Prohibited Food Items

Major action against prohibited food items in Beed district; goods worth ₹10.00 lakh seized

In a raid conducted on 12 October 2026 at Limbaganesh (Tal. & Dist. Beed), during the illegal sale and transport of prohibited food items, a stock of prohibited food items worth ₹4,60,056/- and vehicle No. MH-01-BD-9409 (value ₹5,40,000/-), totalling ₹10,00,056/- in seized goods, were seized.

In this matter, a case has been registered against the accused at Neknur Police Station, Tal. & Dist. Beed, vide Crime Reg. No. 0465/2026 dated 12.10.2026, under Sections 123, 223, 274 and 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Action Against Hotels / Restaurants / Dhabas / Clubs / Bakeries, etc. (Licence Suspensions)

During inspections of 3 establishments in the Mumbai division, serious violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the rules and regulations made thereunder were found; hence, their licences/registrations have been suspended with immediate effect:

1. M/s. Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. (Domino's Pizza) - Shop No. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 39, Rangoli Time Complex, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Parel, Mumbai - 400012. (License suspended on 12.10.2026)

Reasons: Despite an improvement notice issued after the inspection on 11.08.2026, the re-inspection on 09.10.2026 found vegetarian and non-vegetarian food items stored side by side in the same deep freezer and chicken and paneer being prepared in the same oven/grill, the conformity report for food-contact packaging material not submitted, no records of food delivery vehicles, and no records of preventive maintenance of equipment.

2. M/s. Maaz Food Parcel and Catering - Shop No. 6, L.B.S. Marg, Sonapur, Bhandup (West), Mumbai - 400078. (License suspended on 13.10.2026)

Reasons: Cockroach infestation in the kitchen, clogged and unclean drains, no labels on prepared food items, artificial food colour found in the kitchen, misleading customers by using fat spread while butter is mentioned on the menu, no separate chopping boards for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, no purchase bills or food-grade certificates for packaging material, and workers without aprons/gloves.

3. M/s. Mughal Dhaba - 196, Shop No. 3, CTS No. 381, Opposite Kalpana Cinema, L.B.S. Marg, Kurla (West), Mumbai - 400070. (Registration suspended on 09.10.2026)

Reasons: Following a complaint of stale food received in an order placed through Zomato, an inspection conducted on 08.10.2026 found drains clogged with food waste and stagnant dirty water, the rear door open without insect-proof mesh, a rusted refrigerator/deep freezer and utensils, peeling paint/plaster on the walls, no segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and open dustbins near the onion stock.

Action Against Other Food Items (Substandard, Adulteration and Labelling Violations)

Crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division: edible oil worth ₹23.35 lakh seized, licence suspended

1. M/s. Bajrang Trading Company, No. 4-17-91, Jafar Gate, Juna Mondha, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (12.10.2026):

In view of the festive season, during an inspection of an edible oil repacking unit, a total stock of 12,382 kg of suspicious, adulterated and misbranded refined soybean oil (Keshar Gold brand tins/cans and loose oil in storage tanks) and refined palmolein oil (value ₹23,35,654/-) was sealed and seized under Section 38(1)(c) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

In the inspection, the establishment scored only 10 out of 206 marks (5%) and was declared 'Non-Compliant'. As serious deficiencies were found, such as heaps of garbage on the roof, unhygienic toilets, goods stored directly on the floor without pallets, oil spillage on the floor, no insect-proof mesh on windows and no rat traps, no medical examination of workers and no caps/aprons/gloves, and no records of a laboratory/food technologist or of oil purchases, the food licence of the establishment has been suspended with immediate effect.

For Registering Complaints Regarding the Quality of Food Items:

For complaints regarding the quality of food items or any malpractice, please contact the toll-free number 1800222365 or the Food & Drug Grievance Portal (https://complaints.mahafda.in).

- Tukaram Mundhe, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra State