FDA seizes goods worth Rs 12.74 crore in statewide festive-season drive; expired stock found resold

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ran an inspection drive across the state during the festive season and seized goods worth Rs 12.74 crore. In Mumbai, banned gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco worth Rs 24.61 lakh were found. In Thane district, expired, spoilt or rejected food stock worth Rs 48.09 lakh was seized.

Licences or registrations of 68 establishments were suspended. In cases involving banned substances, 22 FIRs were registered and 20 people were arrested. Seven establishments were ordered shut, and fines totalling Rs 1.30 lakh were collected from four establishments.

The drive was carried out in all seven FDA divisions under FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe: Mumbai, Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur and Amravati. The inspections focused on food quality, suspected adulteration, wrong labelling, lack of hygiene and violations of food safety rules.

The FDA carried out special inspections in Thane and Pune districts. It was suspected that expired, spoilt or rejected goods kept for destruction were not being destroyed and were instead being brought back to the market. The inspections found 8,392 kg of such stock, valued at Rs 48.09 lakh.

Officials looked into a possible chain linking company warehouses, contractors who destroy goods, unlicensed disposal centres, middlemen, suppliers and retailers. According to the FDA, the companies inspected could not provide complete and verifiable proof that the goods had actually been destroyed. Five licences have been suspended in these cases, and criminal complaints have been filed. The inquiry is continuing.

In the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division, officials seized about 1,97,480 kg of stock from two cold storages in a single day. It was valued at Rs 4.19 crore and included chilli powder, raisins, jaggery and pasteurised butter. The licences of both cold storages were suspended.

Across the state, about 3,74,762 kg and 28,297 litres of substandard, possibly adulterated or wrongly labelled food were seized or destroyed. The stock was valued at Rs 9.11 crore and included edible oil, spices, dairy products, sweets, farsan, tea, dry fruits and other items.

Banned gutkha, pan masala and flavoured tobacco worth about Rs 3.15 crore, including vehicles, were seized. On October 9, stock was seized from an Eicher truck at Manor in Palghar district. The press note puts its value at Rs 1.51 crore and says an FIR naming eight accused was registered at Manor police station. However, the description in the same press note gives the Manor action as about Rs 1.30 crore. The department needs to explain this discrepancy.

In Jalna district, an Eicher vehicle was stopped with police help near Chitali Putali Phata on October 18, and goods worth Rs 83.35 lakh were seized. In Mumbai, banned items worth Rs 24.61 lakh were seized between October 13 and 21, and four cases were registered. In the Malad case, the department sought an investigation under MCOCA. In the Nashik division, an action worth Rs 19.40 lakh was taken on October 11, with one FIR and one arrest. At Omerga in Dharashiv district, goods worth Rs 16.07 lakh were seized from an Innova car on October 16 and two people were arrested.

The inspections found shortcomings such as unclean kitchens and drains, cockroach and rat infestations, vegetarian and non-vegetarian food stored together, unapproved food colours, and food handlers without medical certificates. Fines of Rs 1.30 lakh were collected from four establishments under Section 69.

Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said strict action would be taken against food businesses that break the rules, especially during festivals when demand for food rises. "There will be no compromise on food safety. The return of goods meant for destruction to the market is an extremely serious matter. Every food business operator must fulfil the responsibility of giving consumers safe food as per the prescribed standards. Demand for food rises during festivals, so inspections of cold storages, warehouses, production centres and food establishments will continue. Strict action will be taken under the law against those who gamble with citizens' health and those who break the rules," Mundhe said.

The FDA has appealed to citizens to report suspected food adulteration, unsafe products or other violations. Consumers can complain on the toll-free helpline 1800 22 2365 or on the website complaints.mahafda.in. The department has asked people to stay alert so that suspicious products do not reach the market.