Maharashtra FDA's Diwali inspection led to the seizure of Rs 9.01 crore worth of food products, including Patanjali ghee worth Rs 20 lakh, and suspension of 19 food business licenses. The crackdown targeted misbranding, adulteration, and hygiene violations across the state, resulting in arrests, FIRs, and sealed establishments.
THE MAHARASHTRA FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) has intensified its operations across the state, with the suspension of licenses and registration of 19 food businesses, and the seizure of around 3.53 lakh kilograms of food amounting Rs 9.01 crore in its festive-season drive led by Commissioner Tukaram Munde.
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Among the significant seizures was a huge consignment of Patanjali cow ghee, recovered from a distributor in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The FDA had suspected Patanjali’s super distributor, M/s Divya Mahavitarak, over misbranding, adulteration and other regulatory malpractices, with the crackdown seizing 2,279.7 litres of Patanjali cow ghee worth Rs 20.20 lakh from the distributor.
As a part of its ongoing crackdown on food outlets that do not follow the safety guidelines and required norms, the Maharashtra FDA launched the seizure of licenses and food products across the state ahead of the festive season in the country.
In an official statement issued by the FDA on Monday, November 2, 2026, it informed that their Diwali-drive had seized around 3.53 lakh kg of food — which amounted to Rs 9.01 crore — from 114 establishments across seven divisions of Maharashtra during the campaign.
A number of notable namkeen (snacks), sweetmeat and spice manufacturers across Mumbai, Amravati and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have come under fire, with their licenses suspended over hygiene irregularities and violations of food safety regulations.
The crackdown — which took place between October 28 and October 31, 2026 — led to 13 FIRs, 16 arrests, seven establishments being sealed and six vehicles seized. In the same period, the FDa also seized banned food articles worth Rs 79.40 lakh from 17 establishments.
The FDA’ Diwali drive also led to seizure of 1,44,218 kg of edible oil from Avenue Supermarts in Bhiwandi, and 20,560 kg of food products from Amin Traders in Satara.
Inspection drive continues across Maharashtra
Apart from the main metropolitan areas of Maharashtra such as Mumbai, the agency also inspected restaurants, dhabas, hotels and food outlets in Nashik, Pune and Nagpur divisions. Around 34 food outlets were inspected in Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur division, with notices being served to 29 of them.
In Pune, the FDA seized edible oil from Swati Oil Mills in Satara and SG Traders in Solapur over inadequate quality.
The agency also took on the big fishes in the sea, as it issued show-cause notices to Tata 1mg Healthcare solutions, ACFO Pharmaceuticals, Amazon Seller Services and Flipkart India over the alleged violations in labelling and marketing of Tata 1mg Marine Collagen powder.
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