Did Players Know They Were Having 'Non-Veg Tea'? Bombay HC Asks FDA To Reinspect MCA Eateries After Cockroaches, Flies Found

Mumbai, August 25, 2026: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reinspect five eateries at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) premises in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), after serious hygiene violations were found during an earlier inspection.

The court also directed the MCA to thoroughly clean the premises before the inspection on Thursday and said the FDA should consider lifting the suspension if the outlets are found to have complied with food safety requirements.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad was hearing petitions filed by the MCA challenging the suspension of licences of five eateries operating at its BKC cricket facility. The FDA had inspected the premises on August 20 and suspended the licences the following day.

According to the FDA, its inspection found cockroaches and flies in the kitchens, besides dirty and slippery floors. It also noted that the eateries were being operated by M/s Shirke Infrastructure, although the food licences were issued in the MCA’s name.

Court Questions Hygiene Violations

Senior counsel Vikram Nankani, appearing for the MCA, argued that the FDA should have first issued an improvement notice, giving the eateries an opportunity to rectify the deficiencies.

The bench, however, said an improvement notice was not necessary in cases involving “gross violations” of hygiene standards.

When Nankani submitted that the closure of all five eateries meant the MCA could not even provide tea to cricketers using the facility, the bench responded in a lighter vein.

“There are flies and cockroaches in the restaurants' kitchens. It is non-vegetarian tea. Do they (cricketers) know they are consuming this tea?” Acting Chief Justice Ghuge remarked.

Tea And Coffee Allowed

The court, however, permitted the MCA to provide tea and coffee to players through vending machines, making it clear that no other activity would be permitted at the eateries.

“In order to cater to the need of their participants, we are only permitting the petitioners to serve tea and coffee which is dispensed through the tea and coffee vending machines. And no other activity is allowed,” the bench said.

The HC directed the FDA to conduct the fresh inspection between 1 pm and 6 pm on Thursday, with the deficiencies assessed and scores recorded as per the usual practice.

FDA Action Called Laudable

The court said the FDA’s action in cracking down on food safety violations was “laudable”, but stressed that suspensions should not continue once the deficiencies had been rectified.

“Once a restaurant/eatery clears up the deficiencies, then the suspension order needs to be revoked immediately. It cannot be kept pending as the FDA's objective has been achieved,” the bench observed.

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The court also asked the FDA to examine the contractual arrangement between the MCA and Shirke Infrastructure and take a “pragmatic approach” if the arrangement was legally permissible.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 29.

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