The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has intensified its crackdown on food and drug safety violations across the State, suspending licences or registrations of 19 food establishments, including three Domino’s Pizza outlets in Mumbai, and taking action against suspected substandard, unsafe and mislabelled food stock worth ₹50.19 lakh in a recent enforcement drive.
Separately, the department cancelled 354 drug licences, suspended 1,227 others and seized or restricted drug stock worth ₹20.23 crore between April and September 2026.
Of the 19 food establishments facing suspension, 17 are located in Mumbai, and two are edible oil repacking units in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The Mumbai establishments include three Domino’s Pizza outlets operated by Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. in Parel, Andheri East and Borivali West, along with Carnival by Trèsind in Santacruz West, Hundo Pizza in Khar West, The Penang Table in Bandra West and several other hotels, restaurants, sweet shops and food businesses.
The FDA cited several deficiencies during inspections and re-inspections, including cockroach and insect infestations, food packets gnawed by rats, improper storage of raw and cooked food, use of spoiled food items and burnt or overused cooking oil, inadequate pest control and failure to maintain mandatory food safety records. Some establishments had also failed to rectify deficiencies identified in earlier improvement notices. The department did not specify which violations were found at each establishment.
The FDA also imposed compounding penalties totalling ₹1.30 lakh on four establishments in Kandivali — Banarasi Hindu Hotel, Kavita Caterers, Atharva University Canteen and Zaika King Shawarma — following inspections conducted as part of its festive-season drive.
In a separate action on October 13, FDA officials seized 17,784 kg of edible oil worth ₹39.15 lakh from two repacking units in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The establishments, Orgisattva Foods Pvt. Ltd. and Jyotirling Foods Pvt. Ltd., had their licences suspended with immediate effect after inspections revealed several food safety and regulatory deficiencies.
The action formed part of a wider drive involving 24,406 kg of suspected substandard, unsafe and mislabelled food stock worth ₹50.19 lakh across the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Greater Mumbai divisions.
In the Pune division, officials took action against sweets, wafers, chakli, bhagar and sabudana stock worth ₹4.46 lakh, while food stock worth ₹2.64 lakh was targeted in the Nashik division. In Nagpur, officials acted against 978 kg of arecanut stock worth ₹3.91 lakh on suspicion of being substandard and unsafe.
Separately, the FDA seized prohibited food products worth approximately ₹1.17 lakh, registered four FIRs and arrested four people during its statewide enforcement drive.
In Mumbai, officials seized prohibited food products worth ₹9,930 from an establishment in Malad East on October 13. An FIR was registered at Malad police station against Ashok Bhadu Ahire under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Food Safety and Standards Act. The complaint also sought investigation under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Statewide drug enforcement
Meanwhile, the FDA’s drug department reported a sharp increase in inspections and enforcement actions against drug manufacturing and sales establishments across Maharashtra between April and September 2026.
During the six months, the department conducted 4,723 inspections, including 1,085 at manufacturing establishments and 3,638 at sales establishments. It issued 1,681 notices, cancelled 354 licences and suspended 1,227 others. A total of 123 search-and-seizure operations resulted in drug stock worth ₹20.23 crore being seized or restricted, while 35 FIRs were registered and 15 people arrested.
The department reported a significant increase in enforcement activity between June and September compared with April and May. The monthly average number of inspections rose from approximately 234 to 1,064, an increase of nearly 4.6 times. Search-and-seizure operations increased from eight in April-May to 115 in June-September, while FIR registrations rose from two to 33.
During June-September alone, the FDA seized or restricted drug stock worth ₹19.11 crore, compared with ₹1.12 crore during April-May. The department also issued 1,402 notices, cancelled 288 licences and suspended 856 during the four-month period.
Of the 115 search-and-seizure operations conducted between June and September, 43 involved unlicensed drug storage and sales, 31 concerned objectionable advertisements under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 14 involved counterfeit drugs and cosmetics, and 10 concerned misbranded cosmetics. Nine operations involved the misuse of intoxicating drugs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said protecting citizens’ health was the administration’s fundamental responsibility. He said the substantial increase in inspections and enforcement actions over the past four months reflected the department’s vigilance.
Mr. Mundhe added that inspections would be expanded across Maharashtra to prevent counterfeit, substandard and unlicensed medicines from entering the market, and that strict action would be taken against violators in accordance with the law.
Published – October 15, 2026 05:30 am IST
