Maharashtra FDA halts 105 food licences, cancels seven eateries ahead of Deepavali

UPDATE - follow-up to FDA suspends 105 licences, cancels 7 across Maharashtra after pre-Deepavali checks: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration suspended licences of 105 firms and cancelled those of seven eateries after inspections on Nov 4‑5. Seizure operations recovered 39,485 kg of food items worth about ₹1.35 crore from at least 69 locations. In Mumbai, licences of 28 eateries were suspended and the licence of Rajdhani Biryani Centre was cancelled; Blink Commerce and Zepto also lost their licences. Across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, officials seized 2,396.6 kg of sweets, ingredients, savouries and packaged foods valued at ₹13.87 lakh. Inspectors noted breaches in hygiene, storage, manufacturing and licensing, and found no health‑check records or food‑handler training. The stock of Jetharam Chuniram Puniya in Malad was taken after the owner was found manufacturing without a licence and selling unlabelled products. Authorities also confiscated 44 kg of boondi laddus and kalakand from Jamnagari Sweets and Farsan in Vile Parle, citing excessive food‑colour use. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the agency will not compromise on food safety regardless of a business’s size or reputation and warned sweet vendors and manufacturers to comply before Deepavali. ## Context The crackdown comes as the state steps up food‑safety checks ahead of the Deepavali festival, a period when demand for sweets and packaged snacks spikes.