Maharashtra FDA cancels 29 licences, suspends 71 in two-week drive across 937 inspections

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken major action in Maharashtra against those flouting rules in the sale and manufacture of medicines and the making of cosmetics. Between October 5 and 17, 2026, a span of two weeks, a total of 937 inspections were carried out across the state's seven divisions.

Those found lacking were served 450 notices. In addition, 29 licences were cancelled and 71 were suspended. Five actions were taken against the sale of medicines and manufacture of cosmetics without a licence, in which goods worth Rs 28,52,304 were seized.

A total of 105 inspections were made of manufacturers and blood centres. These cover manufacturers of drugs, cosmetics and medical devices, blood centres, blood storage centres and drug testing laboratories. In these inspections, 68 notices were issued. Where serious deficiencies were found, 7 licences were cancelled and 22 were suspended.

The breakdown of the 105 inspections is as follows: 36 of allopathic drug manufacturers, 4 of Ayurvedic drug manufacturers, 8 of cosmetics manufacturers, 4 of homeopathic drug manufacturers and 7 of medical device manufacturers. In addition, 2 inspections were made of drug testing laboratories, 22 of blood centres and 22 of blood storage centres.

Across the state, 832 inspections were made of holders of drug sale licences. These include routine inspections, those under special drives and those acting on public complaints. Sellers who broke the rules were given 382 notices. In these cases, 22 drug sale licences were cancelled and 49 were suspended.

In the FDA's drug laboratories in Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur, testing of a total of 279 drug samples was completed in two weeks. Of these, 258 samples met the prescribed standard, while 21 were found not of standard quality.

Among the substandard samples, 18 were of not standard quality (NSQ), two were misbranded and one was spurious. Further action under the law is under way against these drugs. Recall of drugs from the market was initiated in five cases.

In Jalna, Navjeevan Medical and General Stores kept up its business by holding drug stock at an unlicensed premises even after surrendering its licence. Allopathic drug stock worth Rs 58,772 was seized there.

In Nagpur, Phoenix Medicorp was also found to be holding drug stock at an unlicensed premises after surrendering its licence. Drug stock worth Rs 22,03,744 was seized in this action.

In Baramati, cosmetics, namely soap, were being made without a licence at Vedas Herbals Mahila Gruh Udyog. Stock worth Rs 4,05,678 was seized there. At G.B. Cosmetics in Vasai East, nail polish was being produced, packed and sold without a licence. Raw material, packing material and machinery worth Rs 1,83,918 were seized.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, a case was registered against two people over the illegal purchase and sale of 34 tablets of a sedative drug named Nirazepam (Nitrosun 10). Acting under the NDPS Act 1985 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the police arrested both. Goods worth Rs 192 were seized in this case.

The Food and Drug Administration has appealed to the public to buy medicines only from licensed chemists, with a bill. If they see substandard or spurious drugs, the manufacture and sale of drugs or cosmetics without a licence, or the sale of sedative drugs without a doctor's prescription, they should complain immediately. A complaint can be filed online on the FDA's official complaint portal, or the nearest FDA office can be contacted.