875 arrested, ₹67 crore seized: Inside Tukaram Mundhe’s sweeping crackdown on restaurants in Maharashtra | Today’s news

The crackdown on food safety in Maharashtra has reached a remarkable scale under Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, with 875 people arrested and food stocks worth around ₹67.20 crore seized during the three-month drive across the state.

Over 12,000 Inspections in Three Months: Tukaram Mundhe’s Hit Count

Between June and August 2026, the Maharashtra FDA conducted 12,083 inspections, according to crackdown data. The operation also resulted in 655 FIRs, suspension of 603 food licenses and issuance of 5,269 improvement notices.

The figures offer a measure of the scale of the enforcement campaign, which is increasingly targeting restaurants, food manufacturers, roadside eateries and quick-service establishments.

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Mundhe’s FDA has taken an aggressive approach to food safety violations, with inspections expanding beyond small establishments to high-profile restaurants, institutional kitchens and warehouses operated by large food delivery and fast-casual businesses.

Recent inspections revealed a number of serious deficiencies, including cockroach and rodent infestations, rotten food, poor hygiene, improper storage and handling of food, which could increase the risk of contamination. In one crackdown on Maharashtra’s fast-track facilities, the FDA suspended permits for warehouses connected to major platforms after inspections showed serious hygiene concerns.

Fake paneer and unsanitary kitchens under scrutiny

The broader effort also focused heavily on suspected adulteration and unsafe food products. Fake paneer, analogue or synthetic dairy alternatives, adulterated milk and concerns about edible oils emerged as key areas of enforcement.

The FDA has earlier taken action against the use of analogue paneer, including suspending the license of establishments using the product after the regulator imposed restrictions on its manufacture, storage, distribution and sale in the state.

Food safety issues were not limited to one category of facility. The regulator’s inspections covered hotels, restaurants, canteens, dairies, snack manufacturers and dark shops, reflecting the breadth of Maharashtra’s fast-growing food economy.

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FDA expands crackdown

Inspections continued in Mumbai and Thane in recent days, revealing unsanitary conditions. A raid at food manufacturing units in Thane found dirty and sticky floors, pest infestations and unsafe storage practices, leading to the seizure of food material worth more than ₹20 lakhs.

Known devices were also affected. The FDA recently suspended the licenses of food outlets associated with Mumbai’s Govinda-run ISKCON and other facilities after inspections flagged alleged non-compliance with hygiene and food safety conditions.

For Mundhe, the campaign appears to rest on the principle that the size or profile of a business should not determine the level of scrutiny. Previous enforcement actions have covered everything from roadside food businesses to large commercial kitchens and prominent restaurants.

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The range of the current drivetrain is also in line with Mundhe’s emphasis on stricter compliance. He said in August that food businesses that do not comply with the law cannot be allowed to continue operating, while acknowledging the challenge of enforcing food safety standards across Maharashtra’s vast and diverse food sector. The figures three months on now highlight just how extensive the enforcement push has become.

With more than 12,000 inspections and hundreds of suspended licenses, Maharashtra FDA’s campaign has gone beyond isolated raids. It has become a national test of how food businesses — from neighborhood restaurants to large commercial operators — respond to a regulatory body that has made hygiene, labeling, storage and food safety a top enforcement priority.