Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe during an interview with PTI, in Mumbai. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, in the limelight for his sweeping food-safety crackdown across the State, has said that public health, and not personal popularity, is what matters most to him.

Asked if his celebrity-like status following the aggressive food safety crackdown across the state is a distraction, Mr. Mundhe said, “It is not a distraction. Popularity was never my goal.”

“What matters to me are issues like public health. This is not about Tukaram Mundhe. This is about India and the goal to improve public health,” the senior IAS officer told PTI in an interview.

“The food and drugs sector affects public health. If that becomes a public agenda by my actions and role, I will be happy about it,” Mr. Mundhe said. Asked if his aggressive enforcement approach makes him vulnerable to political or administrative pressure, Mr. Mundhe said, “It is not aggressive. I am doing what I am supposed to do diligently. I have been doing this across my two decades of public service.”

“I believe this has to become a public agenda because it is the issue of public health. Citizens at large need to make public health the most important issue,” Mr. Mundhe added.

“We cannot become a superpower if our human resources are not healthy,” he said.

Asked how many establishments have been shut, licenses suspended or cancelled, or criminal cases registered against them since he took charge as the FDA chief in May, Mr. Mundhe said the number of such entities is 12,083.

Improvement notices have been given to 5,269 and suspension orders given to 603 entities, he said.

In case of hotels, restaurant and eateries, there have been 1803 inspections, Mr. Mundhe said. Improvement notices were given in 948 cases and licenses were suspended in 199 cases, he added.

In case of pharmacies, 740 licenses have been cancelled or suspended over various violations during his tenure, said Mundhe, who was appointed as the FDA Commissioner in May 2026, marking the 25th transfer of his 21-year career.

Asked to name the three most common food safety violations in restaurants, Mr. Mundhe said they are hygiene and manufacturing protocols, quality of raw materials and lack of trained manpower.

To a query on the responsibility of online food ordering and delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato to ensure food safety, Mr. Mundhe said, “Basically, they are food business operators as per the law, but they don’t think so. They have godowns. We have taken action against them.”

On the FDA’s notices to Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff for appearing in an elaichi advertisement, which it suspects is a surrogate promotion for a banned paan ad, Mr. Mundhe said two of them have responded so far.

“There is still time left of the 30-day period given to them to respond, he added.

On the Bombay High Court criticizing FDA’s handling of the Cipla case, Mr. Mundhe said there was no “procedural mistake” by FDA in the matter.

FDA had cancelled Cipla Pharma’s drug sale licenses due to serious storage and handling irregularities at its Pune unit.

“It was not a procedural mistake. It was a little error,” he said. “My officer went overboard, became too liberal and gave them a last opportunity to be heard. However, that hearing was kept on a public holiday,” he said. “We have reissued the notice and are taking a call on it,” he added.

Asked if there are any plans to change FDA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) after the court comments, Mundhe said, “We are going as per the law. There is no need to change SOPs. If there are some procedural errors, we take serious cognizance,” he said.

To a query on how serious is the problem of substandard and spurious medicines in Maharashtra, Mundhe said, “It is there, but very difficult to quantify.”

“I have taken a meeting of my officers and told them not to inspect the manufacturing process mechanically. You need to focus on process audit. Good distribution practices is a big issue and many of them (manufacturers) do not follow it. So, we are focusing on that also,” Mr. Mundhe said.

Asked if online pharmacies and medicine delivery platforms face the same level of scrutiny as physical pharmacies, Mr. Mundhe said, “They do. Selling online is not prohibited presently, but they have to follow drug and cosmetic Act and rules.”

Mr. Mundhe also spoke about FDA’s resource requirements. Asked if it has enough manpower and lab equipment to carry out inspections in the entire state, he said, “As of now, I think our labs are sufficient, but we need to enhance the capacity. That is why four labs are being constructed.”

“Our staffing pattern has been processed and submitted to the government. We have created a roadmap and submitted a proposal to the government as per the regulations.

“I would not say there is a manpower shortage because most of the sanctioned posts have been filled, except those of drug inspectors, as the recruitment exam was cancelled,” he said.

The Maharashtra Public Service Commission conducted the examination for recruitment to Drug Inspector (Group-B) posts in the FDA in March, but cancelled it after it found a breach of confidentiality in the examination process. Seven persons have been arrested so far in connection with the question paper leak.

Published – September 06, 2026 12:41 pm IST

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food license of Otters Club in Bandra, for the use of analogue paneer, including several other restaurants in Mumbai.

Other establishments across Maharashtra also had their licences suspended after inspections found alleged hygiene, storage, pest-control and food-safety violations during the ongoing statewide enforcement drive between July 14, 2026, and August 17, 2026.

Among the establishments facing action are Otters Club in Bandra, Prince of Wales Restaurant in Khar West, Café Sifarish in Andheri East, Raj Oil Trading in Vile Parle East and Hotel Chul Mutton in Pune. Legal action was also initiated against Daily Fresh Bakers & Cakes in Dahisar, while the FDA recorded action against Shivam Traders in Nagpur.

FDA officials inspected Otters Club in Bandra on Tuesday (August 17, 2026) and found a product labelled ‘Regular Paneer’ and classified as ‘Proprietary Food’, supplied by Punjab Sind Dairy. The FDA alleged that it was analogue paneer. The FDA had prohibited the manufacture, storage and sale of analogue paneer in Maharashtra.

Inspectors further found dirty floors, broken tiles, partially blocked drains and damaged refrigerator gaskets that could cause temperature fluctuations. Its FSSAI food licence was suspended on August 18. The club had also failed to maintain records for Total Polar Compounds in edible oil and was not following the First-In-First-Out system for managing food stocks, according to the FDA.

The registration certificate of Prince of Wales Restaurant in Khar West was suspended after officials reported inadequate arrangements for maintaining hot and cold food temperatures, improper storage facilities and insufficient pest-control measures. Equipment and food containers were allegedly not maintained in a food-safe condition, while officials also recorded peeling paint and plaster, condensation, inadequate waste-disposal arrangements and the absence of insect-proof netting. The establishment had also allegedly failed to prominently display its FSSAI registration.

At Café Sifarish in Andheri East, the food licence was suspended after the establishment failed to submit a compliance report following an earlier Improvement Notice. The deficiencies included inadequate hot and cold storage, lack of separate storage for chemicals and personal belongings, shortcomings in staff hygiene facilities and poor general cleanliness, according to the FDA.

Raj Oil Trading in Vile Parle East also had its food licence suspended. Inspectors reported inadequate segregation of food products from chemicals and hazardous substances, poor waste disposal, foul odour and rat gnaw marks on oil packets. Proper temperature and humidity conditions were also allegedly not maintained.

In Dahisar, legal action was initiated against Daily Fresh Bakers & Cakes after an inspection carried out following a complaint found cakes allegedly being prepared on counter floors, pest infestation and expired food colours being used.

The FDA said the establishment held only a retail registration despite manufacturing cakes at the premises. Employees were allegedly working without gloves or aprons, while ovens, trays and utensils were found blackened, rusted or unclean.

Medical fitness records, food and water test reports, food-grade material documents and FoSTaC training certificates were also unavailable. The FDA material provided does not state that the establishment’s licence was suspended.

Outside Mumbai, the FSSAI licence of Hotel Chul Mutton in Lohegaon, Pune, was suspended with immediate effect over serious violations of hygiene and sanitary requirements under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards regulations.

The FDA also took action against Shivam Traders at Gandhibag in Nagpur on August 14 for alleged non-compliance with Schedule 4 hygiene requirements. The department’s statement does not specify whether its licence was suspended.

Separately, on August 17, FDA officials intercepted vehicle AR 02 C 7766 at Charoti Toll Naka in Palghar and seized a consignment of colostrum listed at approximately 2,54,640 units and valued at ₹2.12 lakh. The stock, held by Idris Rahimsha Juneja, was subsequently destroyed over inadequate temperature control, unhygienic transportation, missing labels and suspicion of adulteration.

The FDA also intensified action against banned gutkha, pan masala and scented tobacco. Seven FIRs were registered and 10 people arrested across the Konkan, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur divisions. Goods worth ₹99.39 lakh were seized, including vehicles valued at ₹24 lakh in Pune and Nashik.

The largest seizure was reported from Nashik division, where two FIRs were registered, two people arrested and goods worth ₹88.36 lakh seized. In Pune division, three FIRs were registered, and seven people arrested, with goods worth ₹10.07 lakh seized. One FIR each was registered in the Konkan and Nagpur divisions.

Under the “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” drive, officials also seized other food products, including milk and dairy items, bakery products and edible oil, weighing a combined 5,659 kg and valued at approximately ₹8.22 lakh.

On August 16, a vehicle bearing registration MH 23 AU 5364 was inspected at Barshi in Solapur and stocks of rabdi, Indian sweet rabdi and gulab jamun premix were seized over improper temperature control, inadequate labelling and suspicion that the products were misbranded or sub-standard. The FDA’s figures list the quantity as 5,23,200 units and the value as ₹3,400.

The same day, officials inspecting Changbhala Pedha Centre in Panhala, Kolhapur, seized unlabelled pedhas stored in unhygienic conditions. In Akola, 28 kg of expired cumin was found at Bhutada Kirana and preventive action was taken to stop its sale.

According to the FDA’s statewide figures for the July 14-August 17 period, banned and other food products worth a combined ₹1,07,61,944 were seized.

As part of the wider statewide drive between July 14 and August 17, the FDA inspected 65 hotels, restaurants, dhabas and other food establishments and issued Improvement Notices to 50. The department’s earlier statewide summary said eight food-establishment licences were suspended during that period.

The FDA also conducted 11 raids and reported seizures of banned and other food products valued at ₹1.07 crore during the drive.

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Tukaram Mundhe — the Commissioner of Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration— is leading a massive crackdown against food and drug adulteration in the State. Several establishments have been raided, shut down, and issued show cause notices over the last few months, with seizures and police complaints following. Many of these have enjoyed an iconic status for generations.

Mr. Mundhe, however, says he wouldn’t relent till he ensures safe food and drugs for everyone in the State. While the Bombay High Court cautioned him against ‘using a sword to kill a mosquito’, several have lauded his effort.

Who is Tukaram Mundhe?

Born into a poor agricultural family in Beed in Maharashtra’s developmentally backlogged region of Marathwada, Mr. Mundhe says he grew up witnessing the consequences of the government’s failure to deliver on its welfare promises. Agricultural distress and debt were a permanent feature of his life. He worked on his family’s subsistence farm and sold vegetables alongside his parents at the weekly market. He would wake up at 2 a.m. to water the crops by hand. Growing up in a mud-brick house, he saw his family’s dependence on monsoon and the impact of scarcity of water. He walked barefoot to his local Zilla Parishad school.

He says he watched his family carry burdens imposed by the system and it inspired him to enter the administrative services.

He decided to enter the system, not to belong to it, but to change it, he says.

With no coaching academy, no network, no family precedence in public service, Mr. Mundhe cleared the UPSC exams in 2005 and ranked 20th nationally. He was allotted the home cadre of Maharashtra.

Education

Mr. Mundhe completed his bachelor’s degree from Government College of Arts and Science in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) in 1996. In 1998, he completed his MA in Political Science from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University.

He continued his academic pursuits after joining the civil services, with a particular interest in fiscal policy and financial analysis. He has completed courses in leadership, financial market regulation, tax analysis and revenue forecasting, fiscal policy and macroeconomic management, and disaster management.

Awards and transfers

Over more than two decades of service, Mr. Mundhe has received several recognitions and awards for his administrative work. His approach, however, has also made him unpopular in the system. He has been transferred 25 times in 21 years of service, and has not completed a full tenure in any of his postings. An IAS officer typically completes a tenure of around three years in a posting, while Mr. Mundhe has frequently been transferred and, at times, kept without a posting.

He has received recognition for his work in water conservation, urban governance, public health, transport innovation and social inclusion. He received the Maharashtra government’s Best Collector Award for all-round excellence in district governance in 2015-16 and the National Award for Social Justice and Empowerment from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He was also referred to as the “waterman of Maharashtra” for his work in water conservation. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation received the SKOCH Order of Merit for its e-toilets and seismic retrofitting initiatives during his tenure as Municipal Commissioner. In 2017, he received the National Award for the Best Integrated Traffic Management System.

Guiding principles

Early in his career, Mr. Mundhe developed a three-point framework that he says has guided his decisions ever since: every action must be legal, morally correct and in the public interest. “If any two conditions are met — including legality — I act. There is no hesitation, no gradual approach, no negotiation with what is wrong simply because it is powerful,” he says.

In his first field posting, he took on the sand mafia and received death threats. In Solapur, the sand mafia allegedly attempted to physically eliminate him. He returned to work the next day and continued with the same programme. At the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), he sacked 158 contract drivers for chronic absenteeism in 2017-18. The decision triggered opposition from unions and drew a strong political reaction. When he took over as Health Commissioner in 2022, he ordered midnight inspections at Primary Health Centres, linked salaries to biometric attendance and initiated action against doctors allegedly running private clinics during government working hours. He was transferred in 2023.

During his tenure as Municipal Commissioner of Navi Mumbai in 2016, three multi-crore projects had already been approved, including a ₹20-crore marble statue and a ₹163-crore solar project at Morbe Dam. Mr. Mundhe cancelled both, calling them unnecessary, and redirected the funds towards making the city more accessible to persons with disabilities and improving civic infrastructure.

His “Walk with the Commissioner” initiative also became popular. Every Sunday, he would go for a morning walk and invite citizens to join him, giving them an opportunity to raise complaints, suggestions and concerns directly with him. The initiative, however, also brought him into conflict with elected representatives. Corporators across political parties called a bandh against him, while citizens launched an online petition that garnered more than 6,000 signatures and approached the Chief Minister seeking to prevent his transfer. He was moved out in 2017.

Looking back, Mr. Mundhe says he is prepared to work with full capacity in whatever role the government assigns him. In his current posting at the FDA, he is unsure whether he will complete the standard three-year tenure, but says he already has a long wishlist for cleaning up the system.

Published – August 15, 2026 07:06 pm IST

Food and Drugs Authority commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) imposed a one-year ban on the production, processing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of ‘analogue/non-dairy paneer’. The FDA’s order was issued under Sections 18, 29, and 30(2) (a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

This is part of the FDA’s enforcement campaign across the State in the last two months, from May 25, 2026, to July 31, 2026, with its top priority being food safety, drug quality and consumer protection.

According to the FDA’s press note, the action was taken after paneer samples were collected from various districts in the State and analysed at notified food laboratories, which made it clear that the analogue/non-dairy paneer was being manufactured from unauthorised, sub-standard, and non-dairy ingredients like extraneous vegetable fat in place of natural milk fat in many samples and was being sold in the State in growing volumes under the name of paneer, thereby defrauding consumers.

Out of 308 samples that were analysed, 109 samples (35.4%) were compliant, 79 of them were sub-standard, and 30 were unsafe. The use of analogue paneer is completely prohibited in hotels, restaurants, caterers, cloud kitchens and other food service establishments.

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said that “it is the constitutional and legal right of every citizen of Maharashtra to receive safe, pure and quality food”. “No one who earns profit by defrauding consumers and gambles with the health of citizens will be given a place in Maharashtra. While extending full protection to honest industry, a zero tolerance policy will be strictly implemented against those who sell sub-standard, misleading and unsafe food. Safe food is not merely the enforcement of law. It is the moral and constitutional commitment of the government towards society,” Mr. Mundhe said.

Action has also been taken against illegal gutka, flavoured tobacco and prohibited products as well. The FDA has moved to suspend and cancel licenses of hotels, restaurants, caterers and food businesses that violate sanitation and food safety rules.

As part of FDA’s enforcement campaign, it has inspected 3,137 establishments, issued 764 improvement notices, made 165 license suspensions, filed 532 FIRs and arrested 714 people in connection. Concerning prohibited articles (gutkha, flavoured tobacco), 676 establishments were inspected, and 658 prohibited articles were found.

519 FIRs were filed, 701 arrests were made, and 407 establishments were sealed. 78 vehicles worth ₹6.60 crore were also seized in connection with this. Konkan and Nashik account for the largest seizure values at ₹1.80 crore and ₹3.49 crore respectively.

Concerning milk products, 476 inspections were made, 196 improvement notices were sent, 16 establishments were suspended, 1,49,775 kg of milk products were seized worth ₹3.82 crore, and two FIRs were filed. Konkan alone accounts for ₹2.48 crore of milk product seizures, and 65% of the State total. Other products like edible oil, amla, laddu, khoa, bakery, candy, jaggery, ghee, dates, ice cream and kulfi, frozen dessert, and spices were also inspected. 608 establishments were inspected, and 25,26,822 kg of product were seized worth ₹36.00 crore.

The FDA press release notes that the Supreme Court has flagged milk adulteration as a serious public health danger and directed states to act. FSSAI Central Advisory Committee has recommended a strict policy on Analogue in Dairy Context products

The FDA has effectively enforced this ban and directed all Joint Commissioners (Food), Assistant Commissioners (Food), Designated Officers and Food Safety Officers in the State to conduct a special inspection drive. Detailed inspections will be carried out at production centres, warehouses, transport systems, wholesale markets, retail outlets and food service establishments, and samples of suspect products will be collected. If necessary, goods will be seized and destroyed, and legal action will be taken against offenders. Any violation by any person, institution or food business operator will be dealt with strictly under the penal provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The FDA has launched a website which is a multilingual and AI-enabled online grievance redressal system for citizens to file complaints regarding food or medicines. It provides automated complaint registration and immediate categorisation to the concerned authorities, automated escalation and complete tracking. One can access the FDA Complaint Portal here – https://complaints.mahafda.in

Published – August 06, 2026 04:14 am IST