Maharashtra suspends 105 food licences in Diwali crackdown, including Zepto and Blinkit

If you're stocking up on sweets, snacks or last-minute festival orders, this one is worth a read. Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the state's food safety regulator) has suspended 105 food business licences ahead of Diwali.

What happened?

The action came during a special Diwali drive on November 4 and 5. Of the 105 suspensions, 28 were in Mumbai.

In the city, licences of Zepto (Worli) and Blinkit (Blink Commerce Pvt Ltd) were suspended. Eateries including Biryani By Kilo, Tossin Pizza (Worli) and Jumbo Burger faced the same action.

Seven establishments were ordered to shut down: three in Pune, two in Amravati, and one each in Mumbai and the Konkan region. One of them, Rajdhani Biryani Centre in Borivali, was closed completely for violating rules of the FSSAI (India's national food safety authority).

What else was found?

In Nagpur, a D-Mart outlet on Kamthi Road faced action, and refined soybean oil was seized for breaching licence conditions.

Overall, suspected unsafe or adulterated food stock worth more than Rs 1.35 crore was taken from over 69 establishments. The drive against prohibited food products also led to three First Information Reports (FIRs, the first police complaints), two arrests and two seized vehicles.

What's next?

FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe warned that businesses that put public health at risk will face strict action. He pointed to the law's provisions, which include life imprisonment and fines of Rs 10 lakh for selling unsafe food that causes death.