I Have Not Been Transferred, Says Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has stated that he has not been transferred, dismissing speculation about his removal and asserting that the crackdown on unsafe food and substandard drugs would continue.

The clarification came amid buzz about a possible transfer of the senior IAS officer, who has faced frequent transfers during his administrative career.

The speculation surfaced after the state government on Sunday named Mundhe as the secretary of a five-member committee constituted to investigate alleged paper leaks and irregularities in examinations conducted by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).

"No, I have not been transferred from FDA," Mundhe said in a post on X on Monday night.

"I continue to serve as Commissioner, FDA Maharashtra. Our fight against unsafe, substandard, adulterated food and spurious, substandard drugs goes on," he added.

Mundhe's tenure at the FDA has drawn considerable public attention, with consumers appreciating his department's intensified enforcement against food safety violations, while sections of the restaurant and food business industry have expressed opposition to the action taken against their establishments.

The FDA has stepped up inspections, raids and enforcement measures against eateries and food businesses over alleged violations, including the sale or use of unsafe and adulterated products. The department has also taken action against establishments over licensing and compliance issues as part of its drive to enforce food safety regulations.

While consumers have welcomed the emphasis on accountability and food safety, some of the department's actions have faced resistance from restaurant operators. Certain enforcement measures have also been challenged in courts, bringing aspects of the FDA's regulatory action under legal scrutiny.

The developments have made Mundhe's tenure at the department particularly prominent, as the FDA's enforcement drive has brought food safety compliance and the functioning of eateries into sharper public focus.

Mundhe's appointment to the panel investigating the alleged paper leaks in MPSC exams came after protests over the functioning of the recruitment body.

The committee will examine the tenure of current and former chairpersons and members of the state recruitment body, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said last week while announcing the panel.