Mumbai, 21 September: The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of food licences for 10 establishments after inspections uncovered serious hygiene lapses, including live rodents, heavy insect infestation and contaminated food storage, a release said.
Major dark-store hit after live rat sighted
Among the licences suspended was that of M/s Swinsta ENT Private Limited—the operator of a Swiggy Instamart dark store located at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai. Inspecting officials reportedly observed a live rat in the store handling area and multiple 10-kg rice bags gnawed open by rodents, leaving spilled grain across the floor, the FDA said.
The FDA statement said inspectors also recorded rodent droppings in key storage zones and a large-scale cockroach infestation directly on food articles. Live flies were found inside food storage carts, while refrigeration units contained dead insects, dirt and heavy ice build-up.
Other establishments penalised across the city
Licences were also suspended for a mix of sweet shops, warehouses and retail outlets across Mumbai and adjoining suburbs. The FDA named the following units:
- M/s Sadguru Sweets and Farsan Mart, Malad
- M/s Acculogicx Supply Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (warehouse operating for Amazon)
- M/s Suleman Usman Mithaiwala, Mohammed Ali Road
- Jain Sweet & Bhepuri House LLP
- M/s Nice Enterprises, Chembur
The FDA did not provide further operational details for each unit in its brief, but linked the suspensions to violations found during its festive-season crackdown on food safety and adulteration.
Seizures across the state
As part of the same enforcement drive, the FDA said it seized suspected, adulterated and unhygienic food items from across Maharashtra. The haul included khoya, mawa, peda, ghee, oil, barfi, dried apricots/raisins, jaggery, sweets and other dairy products with an assessed value of ₹1.36 crore.
The FDA separately reported seizure of 1,868 kg of turmeric powder from Miraj, estimated at ₹6.53 lakh. The agency did not release laboratory test results in the statement; seizures were described as "suspected" adulterated or unhygienic consignments.
| Establishment | Location | Primary violation reported |
|---|---|---|
| M/s Swinsta ENT Pvt. Ltd. (Swiggy Instamart) | Ballard Estate, South Mumbai | Live rodent seen; gnawed rice bags; rodent droppings; cockroach infestation; unclean refrigeration |
| M/s Sadguru Sweets and Farsan Mart | Malad | Food-safety violations (details in FDA order) |
| M/s Acculogicx Supply Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd. | Warehouse (Amazon operations) | Food-safety violations (details in FDA order) |
| M/s Suleman Usman Mithaiwala | Mohammed Ali Road | Food-safety violations (details in FDA order) |
| Jain Sweet & Bhepuri House LLP | (Location not specified) | Food-safety violations (details in FDA order) |
| M/s Nice Enterprises | Chembur | Food-safety violations (details in FDA order) |
The FDA statement was issued to the press via PTI; it did not list every specific breach for each establishment in the public release, saying only that the actions followed direct observations during inspections.
Context: festive-season vigilance
The FDA said the exercise formed part of a broader festive-season crackdown aimed at preventing distribution of adulterated and unhygienic food items during periods of increased demand. Sales of sweets and dairy-based confections usually spike ahead of major festivals, prompting regulators to intensify checks.
Public-health experts and consumer groups repeatedly urge caution during such periods because contamination in sweets, ghee or khoya can pose risks including food-borne illness and chemical adulteration. The FDA's move to suspend licences is an administrative step that can be followed by laboratory testing and prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Act if offences are substantiated.
Consumers are advised to buy packaged sweets and dairy from licensed vendors and to check licensing details and hygiene ratings where available. Local municipal health and food-safety departments also examine retail outlets; the FDA said it will continue inspections and issue further orders as warranted.
The agency's release did not indicate a timeline for re-inspection or licence reinstatement. Follow-up laboratory reports, if any, and legal proceedings will clarify whether seizures and suspensions lead to fines, prosecutions or longer-term closures.
The FDA action was reported through the Press Trust of India. Officials at the named establishments could not be immediately reached for comment.
