Full Breakdown
Maharashtra FDA Suspends Gallops License in Wide-Scale Festive-Season Crackdown
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), led by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, suspended the food licence of BJRS (Gallops) Restaurant at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Inspectors recorded blood and ketchup stains on ice inside a refrigerator, torn packaging of raw materials, grease buildup, deteriorating walls, uncovered drainage, live cockroaches, ants and water stagnation. The violations were cited under Schedule 4 of the state’s food-safety regulations.
Background & Context
The action formed part of a special inspection drive launched ahead of the festive season. The FDA has been conducting a statewide sweep across Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nagpur divisions, targeting establishments suspected of selling adulterated, substandard, mis-labelled or unsafe food.
Scope of Enforcement and Seized Goods
- Five Mumbai establishments had licences suspended, including Gallops, Gurukrupa Dairy Products (Malad East), Gufran Seekh Corner (Versova), Dreamer Hospitality Pvt Ltd (Bandra West) and Mirari (Bandra West).
- The FDA seized food products worth approximately INR30.82 lakh in Mumbai and INR15.15 lakh at Gurukrupa Dairy Products, where officials alleged the blending of refined sunflower oil, vanaspati and branded ghee to produce counterfeit “Pooja Ghee”.
- Across the state, the regulator confiscated INR1.36 crore of suspected adulterated dairy items (khoya, mawa, peda, ghee, oil, barfi, dried apricots, raisins, jaggery, sweets) and 1,868 kg of turmeric powder valued at INR6.53 lakh from Miraj.
- Additional seizures included 2,813 kg of milk and milk products (INR7.38 lakh), 2,580 kg of supari and namkeen, and 12.5 L of toddy (combined value INR4.66 lakh).
Other notable actions: licences of Swinsta ENT Private Limited (operating a Swiggy Instamart dark store in Ballard Estate), Sadguru Sweets and Farsan Mart (Malad), Acculogicx Supply Chain Solutions Pvt Ltd (Amazon warehouse), Suleman Usman Mithaiwala (Mohammed Ali Road), Jain Sweet & Bhepuri House LLP and Nice Enterprises (Chembur) were also suspended for hygiene breaches.
Official Statements & Responses
Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the inspections uncovered “continued violations” of Schedule 4, emphasizing deficiencies in potable-water testing, food-item segregation, cleanliness, pest control and annual medical examinations of food handlers.
Impact on Food Establishments
The suspension of Gallops, a long-standing venue within the Royal Western India Turf Club, underscores the regulator’s intent to enforce strict compliance before the high-traffic festive period. Several other businesses now face improvement notices, and three FIRs were filed with three arrests reported in connection with the inspections.
What’s Next
The FDA indicated that its enforcement campaign will continue throughout the festive season, with further inspections planned across the state’s divisions. Establishments cited for violations are required to obtain valid licences and rectify identified deficiencies before resuming operations.