Bhiwandi: In a major food safety crackdown, the Kongaon Police have registered a criminal case against an Amazon Retail India facility manager and a local trader for allegedly diverting expired food products back into the market instead of destroying them, thereby endangering public health and misleading consumers.
The action follows a late-night operation conducted by the Food Safety Department at Amazon Retail India Pvt. Ltd.'s warehouse located in Saravali village in Bhiwandi taluka. Investigators alleged that large quantities of expired food items which were required to be safely disposed of were instead routed into the food supply chain and sold in the market through a coordinated arrangement between the warehouse management and a private trader.
According to officials the case has been registered against Rehman K., proprietor of R.K. Traders, and Somashekhar Basavaraj Konnur, Facility Manager (West Zone) of Amazon Retail India Pvt. Ltd. The accused are alleged to have acted in collusion to prevent the destruction of expired and deteriorated food products and facilitate their re-entry into commercial circulation.
Food Safety Department officials stated that the expired products were potentially hazardous to human health and should have been disposed of in accordance with prescribed regulations. Instead, the products were allegedly diverted for sale, exposing unsuspecting consumers to serious health risks.
Investigators further claimed that Rehman K., proprietor of R.K. Traders, violated contractual obligations governing the disposal of expired food items and submitted false certificates claiming that the products had been destroyed. The inquiry also revealed the possible involvement of personnel responsible for handling the disposal of expired and damaged food products at the Amazon facility.
The alleged malpractice came to light after authorities received information suggesting that expired food stocks from the Saravali warehouse were being channelled back into the market rather than being discarded. Acting on the tip-off, the Food Safety Department carried out an inspection and gathered evidence leading to the registration of the case.
Based on a complaint lodged by Food Safety Officer Arvind Kandelkar, the Kongaon Police registered an FIR against the two accused under relevant provisions pertaining to food safety violations, cheating and endangering public health. Officials indicated that additional individuals connected to the disposal process may also come under the scanner as the investigation progresses.
Senior police officials said the matter is being treated seriously given the potential threat posed to consumers. Authorities are examining records related to the disposal of expired food products, contractual agreements, transportation details and certification documents to determine the scale of the alleged operation.
The investigation is currently being supervised by Police Inspector Santosh Borade of Kongaon Police Station, who is probing the extent of the alleged diversion network and identifying any further persons involved in the case.
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