Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced a permanent, year-round food safety calendar to ensure public health during major festivals. This first-of-its-kind initiative categorises festivals into three levels and implements a four-stage inspection mechanism, focusing on preventing adulteration and unsafe food practices for high-demand products like sweets, dairy, and edible oils.
The Karnataka government has suspended the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and Bigbasket due to the online sale of toxic Dhatura fruits/seeds. Citing public health and food safety concerns, authorities have also ordered the suspension of licences for suppliers to these platforms and mandated the removal of all Dhatura-related listings.
The Jharkhand High Court has stayed the state government's notifications cancelling appointments made through the 11th to 13th JPSC examinations and for food safety officers, providing relief to approximately 450 candidates.
Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has clarified that he has not been transferred, dismissing speculation about his removal. He affirmed that the crackdown on unsafe food and substandard drugs will continue, despite recent appointment to an MPSC inquiry committee.
Peptide parties are informal, invite-only social gatherings where biohackers, wellness enthusiasts, and fitness influencers meet to discuss, sample, or promote peptide-based products.
From the air we breathe to the surfaces we touch, our everyday workplace can quietly influence both our physical and mental wellbeing, warns Dr Vikram Vora.
Penguin India has announced the English translation of "Tukaram," a Marathi biography of Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The book, originally by Shafi Pathan and translated by Vikrant Pande, details Mundhe's life from a challenging childhood to his impactful civil service career, known for his strict enforcement of food safety regulations.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has accused Maharashtra FDA officials of extorting money from hotels and quick-commerce businesses by threatening licence suspensions. He has demanded an independent inquiry into these allegations, claiming that FDA offices have become "extortion hubs" and that officials are bypassing legal procedures.
'I have a vested interest -- to serve the people of Maharashtra and ensure safe food. That is my vested interest, if at all there is one.'
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended the licence of Mumbai's renowned K Rustom ice cream parlour due to severe hygiene and food safety violations. An inspection revealed live rats and flies, expired flavouring agents, and ice cream with insufficient milk fat, leading to the parlour's closure under the 'Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra' campaign.
Successful candidates of recruitment examinations cancelled by the Jharkhand government staged a demonstration outside the state secretariat, demanding justice and the withdrawal of the cancellation decision, while the high court has stayed some of the government's notifications.
A woman Food Safety Officer was targeted by suspected gutkha mafia operatives during a raid in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The incident, where a vehicle attempted to run her over, has led the state government to order strict action against those responsible. FDA Minister Narhari Zirwal condemned the attack and assured full support to the officer, vowing no leniency for assailants of government officials.
The Bombay High Court has ordered the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to pay Rs 5 lakh in compensation to a Pune-based sweets shop. The court criticised the FDA for keeping the shop's license suspended despite a 98 per cent compliance report, calling its policy "strange and perverse."
The controversy has sparked reactions across states. The famous Mankameshwar temple in Uttar Pradesh has now banned offerings of 'prasad' bought by devotees from outside and said they can offer homemade 'prasad' or fruits.
The Tamil Nadu government has mandated stringent quality testing across all distilleries in the state to ensure alcohol content compliance. This decision follows public concern over the temporary ban and swift clearance of products from a private manufacturer, Enrica Enterprises, by the state's liquor monopoly, TASMAC. The move aims to address suspicions and ensure public safety regarding alcoholic beverages.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licences of four Domino's Pizza outlets, including three in Mumbai, and several other chain restaurants like KFC and Pizza Hut, citing alleged violations of food safety and hygiene norms during a special drive.
Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader announced the busting of a major interstate counterfeit drug racket, leading to an arrest and an ongoing investigation into the suspected supply of fake medicines to hospitals. The racket involved procuring cheap drugs, refilling them, and relabelling them as premium brands, with seizures worth Rs 5 crore. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the widespread network.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has issued a show-cause notice to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their advertisement for Vimal Elaichi, claiming it prima facie amounts to "indirect or surrogate" promotion of prohibited pan masala and tobacco-related products.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan, a Z-category protectee, has received threat messages from "hardcore terrorists" according to his office. His office has formally requested the Home Ministry to conduct a thorough investigation into the communication and to significantly enhance his security arrangements due to the grave nature of the threat and his public engagements.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food licences of several establishments across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, including an IRCTC-linked supplier and three ISKCON outlets in Juhu, due to severe hygiene and safety violations. This action is part of a state-wide crackdown initiated by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, targeting issues like pest infestation, improper food handling, inadequate sanitation, and misleading product claims.
Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has urged consumers to avoid buying loose or unsealed edible oil due to safety concerns, announcing a compliance order for the entire edible oil sector after detecting widespread violations, including adulteration and improper packaging.
Police in Greater Noida have arrested three relatives of a deceased man for alleged abetment to suicide, following the deaths of five family members from suspected poisoning. The investigation suggests a property dispute may be the motive, with the deceased having left a voice note blaming the accused. Forensic reports are awaited to confirm the exact cause of death.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized suspicious food items worth almost Rs 12 lakh in Thane district, leading to the arrest of six persons.
Clashes erupted between police and students in Jharkhand protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, even as the high court provided interim relief by staying notifications cancelling appointments for Child Development Project Officers and those recruited through JSSC-CGL tests.
Whether it's a five-star banquet hall, a school lunch supplier, a blood bank, or a Bollywood actors' surrogate advertisements, Tukaram Mundhe seems to have an opinion, a bye-law, and very possibly an inspection team on standby.
An assistant sub inspector of police and a government clerk were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Chhattisgarh in separate incidents of alleged bribery.
The Bombay High Court has ordered the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to a Pune-based sweets shop. The court criticised the FDA for suspending the shop's license despite a 98 per cent compliance report, calling its policy "strange and perverse" and stating the regulator was "going overboard."
The Maharashtra Public Health Department has issued a directive making healthy foods and beverages mandatory in all government canteens and official events. The order aims to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods and combat the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases by promoting a menu designed with ICMR-NIN and FSSAI guidelines.
Prashanth Rajan Babu, the alleged kingpin of an interstate counterfeit drug racket, has been arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after absconding to Azerbaijan. He is accused of leading a network that refilled cheap bulk drugs into new vials and relabelled them as premium imported brands, with a previous raid seizing fake medicines worth Rs 5 crore.
Prashanth Rajan Babu, the alleged kingpin of an interstate counterfeit drug racket, has been arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after absconding in Azerbaijan. He is accused of leading a network that refilled cheap drugs and relabelled them as premium brands, with drugs worth Rs 5 crore seized earlier.
Prashanth Rajan Babu, the alleged kingpin of an interstate counterfeit drug racket, has been arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. He had been absconding and was reportedly hiding in Azerbaijan. The arrest follows a major raid in August where fake medicines worth Rs 5 crore were seized, and a Special Investigation Team was formed to probe the network.
Police in Bengaluru have arrested Balasubramanian, a partner in DM Pharma, in connection with an interstate counterfeit drug racket. This arrest follows the apprehension of alleged kingpin Prashanth Rajan Babu. The Special Investigation Team is probing the supply chain, financial transactions, and distribution channels of fake medicines worth nearly Rs 5 crore, which were being relabelled as premium brands.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) achieved a significant success with a tip-off leading to the confiscation of prohibited substances, including anabolic steroids, in Najafgarh, following a joint operation with local police and food safety officials.
Maggi made a comeback in November after passing tests at three government labs.
Delhi Police busted an adulterated spice manufacturing unit in Old Delhi's Khari Baoli, arresting a man and seizing around 801.88 kg of spurious ground spices and raw material.
Two Indian nationals have been charged in a US federal court for their alleged involvement in a transnational scheme to distribute counterfeit Ozempic, a popular diabetes drug. The scheme involved obtaining fake drugs from China, deceptive packaging, and continued even after FDA warnings, with the accused facing significant jail time if convicted.
Three FIRs have been lodged against 39 named and more than 900 unnamed people in connection with clashes that broke out between the police and protesting job aspirants in Jharkhand's Giridih and Hazaribag, officials said on Sunday.
The Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 recruitment examinations conducted by the state Public Service Commission (JPSC) and an outsourced agency since 2014, including the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, following a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities. This decision has led to protests from around 2,000 candidates who had already been appointed to various state government departments after clearing the JSSC-CGL exam.
Dozens of girls from a hostel in Ahmedabad were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning. An investigation is underway to determine the cause.
The Bombay High Court severely criticised the Maharashtra FDA for its "undue haste" and "high-handed" actions, forcing the regulator to withdraw orders against Cipla Pharma and five restaurants at the Mumbai Cricket Association premises. The court admonished the FDA for violating principles of natural justice and taking a "pedantic instead of pragmatic view," even threatening contempt action against officials.
