FDA suspends 18 food licences, shuts four units across Maharashtra ahead of Diwali

Ahead of Diwali, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ran a statewide drive against places suspected of dealing in adulterated and substandard food. The department, headed by Tukaram Mundhe, suspended the licences of 18 food businesses, halted operations at four establishments and arrested three people.

In a special inspection drive on November 3, food stock worth Rs 37.49 lakh was seized from various establishments across the state. Prohibited food items account for Rs 16.86 lakh of this. Two FIRs were registered for the sale and possession of prohibited items. The action was taken against those making, storing and selling sweets, dairy products, farsan, spices, edible oil, dry fruits and other foods. The FDA said food was being prepared in unhygienic conditions at many places.

On Wednesday, November 4, a total of 18 licences were suspended across four divisions. Most suspensions were in Pune and Greater Mumbai. Six licences were suspended in the Pune division, five in Mumbai, five in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and two in Amravati. The department made clear that, for as long as a licence is suspended, the establishment cannot carry on any food business under it.

According to an official statement, the licences suspended in Mumbai are those of Sheetals in Dadar West, ITC Limited in Andheri East, Dhanya Enterprises (Gupta Shev and Puri) in Mulund, Zepto Limited in Kandivali East and Bhagwati Stores in Borivali. In the Pune division, action was taken against Ambika Foods in Shiroli, Modi Brothers in Baramati, Rajmilan Sweets in Manchar, Karachi Sweet Mart in Camp, New Quality Dairy Farm in Shivajinagar and Bikaner Mithaiwale in Mohammadwadi. The lapses found included suspected substandard quality, unhygienic conditions, improper storage, expired raw material and labelling violations.

After the inspections, four establishments were ordered to stop business. They are Shree Ganesh Ladduwale in Shikrapur, Pournima Sweets in Wanowrie and Sirvi Sweets in Bibwewadi, all in Pune, and Maa Bhagwati Mithai and Faral Karkhana in Amravati. The department cited suspected substandard or unsafe food, unhygienic conditions, absence of a valid licence and suspected use of unauthorised food colours.

In the statewide action, about 14,340.78 kg of food items and 204 litres of kokum were seized, with a combined value of Rs 37,49,611. The items include sweets, motichoor laddoo, boondi, halwa, dairy products, loose khawa, ghee, farsan, chakli, shankarpali, poha chivda, spices, almonds, cashew nuts, flour and edible oil. Among the seizures were almonds worth Rs 8.98 lakh from Ashish Traders in Sangli, chilli powder and turmeric powder worth Rs 5.04 lakh from Dhanashree Spices in Navi Mumbai, refined soyabean oil worth Rs 3.51 lakh from S S Oil Industries in Ahilyanagar, fortified refined oil worth about Rs 2.54 lakh from Bafna Foods India in Jamkhed and food items worth Rs 1.75 lakh from Chamunda Maa Rabdiwala in Pune district. Some perishable items and items that appeared unsafe were destroyed.

In a separate action against prohibited items, gutkha, pan masala, scented tobacco and similar products worth Rs 16,86,910 were seized from two places. The state government has banned the manufacture, storage, transport and sale of these products from July 20, 2026. Goods worth Rs 16,84,660 were found in the Pune division and two people were arrested. In the Konkan division, goods worth Rs 2,250 were seized and one person was arrested.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said strict action would be taken against establishments selling substandard, unsafe or adulterated food. The department has warned food businesses to hold valid licences, follow hygiene rules, store food properly, avoid unauthorised colours and comply with mandatory labelling. It has also appealed to citizens to buy food only from licensed or registered sellers and to avoid loose or unlabelled products. The FDA has said buyers should check the label, batch number, packing date and best-before details before purchase.