FDA crackdown: FIR against representatives of Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Blinkit, Zomato Hyperpure; here’s why | Today’s news
Police have filed a first information report (FIR) against officials of Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Blinkit and Hyperpure by Zomato, PTI reported. The police action comes after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Authority (FDA) seized the food stock ₹48 crore during a district-wide crackdown against the sale of expired food, an official said on Saturday.
FIR against officials of Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Blinkit and Zomato Hyperpure
According to the news agency, an FIR has been registered at Shanti Nagar police station in Thane. It reportedly names 10 people, including senior officials and employees associated with Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Blinkit and Zomato Hyperpure. The report also mentioned liquidation agency operators and local contractors, PTI added.
The FIR was registered under the relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The FIR involved V Subramaniam, Whole Time Director, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, Ashok Kumar Singh, Reliance Consumer Products Ltd, Vijay Bhikaji Kharmale, Nominee, Reliance Retail Ltd and Nilesh Ramdasrao Deshmukh, Warehouse Manager, Reliance Retail Ltd.
Others named in the FIR were Arbinder Singh Dhinsa, Director, Blinkit Commerce, Deepak Singh, Blinkit Commerce, Abid Shaikh, Hyperpure, Babar Miya Ahmed Siddiqui, BK Dispose, Gulzar Abdul Khan, Contractor, Chavindra, Bhiwandi and Abdul Mobin Bhi Khan, Discount Store, Zomato Bhi.
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Latest FDA crackdown in Thane and Pune
FDA sources said the operation was conducted simultaneously at several locations in Thane and Pune districts between October 14 and 15.
During the operation, the food products were valued over ₹A total of 24 lakhs was seized from the dumping ground in Bhiwandi ₹4.92 lakh worth of products from Reliance Consumer Products warehouse in Vadpa and nearly ₹7.81 lakh from the Zomato Hyperpure facility in Usatan.
The total capture value was ₹48,09,924, reported by PTI.
Expired, damaged goods confiscated
A preliminary investigation by the regulator has reportedly found that expired, damaged and customer-rejected food products meant for destruction were allegedly diverted through liquidation agencies, unlicensed sorting houses and brokers to retailers for sale to consumers, a PTI source said.
Allegedly, liquidation agencies issued certificates and other documents and claimed that the products were destroyed, without sufficient proof.
FDA officials are said to have found discrepancies in disposal records, including discrepancies in quantity and discrepancies in shipper and consignee details.
The stock was allegedly sorted at unlicensed yards in Bhiwandi. It is believed that salable-looking packages were picked and sold to brokers and suppliers.
Subsequently, expired and leaking products were found exposed for sale at a retail outlet in Gulzar Nagar, Bhiwandi, while operating without a license or purchase accounts.
The FDA conducted a district-wide inspection with seven teams of assistant commissioners and food safety officers who took inventory and seized stock, took samples, recorded declarations, and prohibited the movement, sale, or destruction of seized products.
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License suspended, operation closed
On October 15, the license of five establishments was suspended. The authorities have also stopped business operations at four unlicensed premises, an official told PTI.
