Mumbai, June 2: In the wake of the Pune hooch tragedy that has claimed at least 15 lives, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a massive statewide inspection drive targeting industrial chemical and solvent suppliers.
FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said a dedicated team of inspectors has been formed to verify all 970 industrial chemical and solvent suppliers across Maharashtra over the next week.
The move comes after investigations into the Pune hooch case revealed that toxic methanol allegedly used in manufacturing spurious liquor was supplied from a company based in Thane district.
Acting on specific intelligence, the FDA raided Rex International Company in Bhiwandi and seized 5,929 kilograms of methanol during the operation.
Statewide inspections intensified
Officials said strict legal action will be initiated against any company found violating safety and chemical handling regulations. The crackdown is part of the FDA’s larger “Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra” campaign aimed at curbing food adulteration and illegal chemical supply networks across the state.
The administration has intensified inspections across multiple districts, including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Nashik, Bhandara, Jalna, Wardha, Nanded, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Dhule, Buldhana, Amravati, Akola and Washim.
During the statewide drive, FDA officials also detected irregularities in products such as mawa, khoya, paneer, edible oils, spices, dairy products, juices, kulfi, ice cream, frozen foods and soft drinks. In just two days, authorities seized over 84,000 kilograms of suspected unsafe food products worth nearly Rs 1 crore.
Sugar mixed in jaggery: FDA exposes adulteration racket in Pune
In a major crackdown on food adulteration, the Maharashtra FDA uncovered a large-scale jaggery adulteration racket in Pune district where traders were allegedly mixing sugar into jaggery and selling it as pure produce to earn higher profits.
The raids were conducted between May 29 and May 31 under the “Safe Food, Safe Drug, Safe Maharashtra” campaign. FDA teams searched three locations in Pune and seized adulterated jaggery and sugar stock worth nearly Rs 20 lakh.
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Officials said the increasing demand for jaggery in Maharashtra has encouraged adulterators to manipulate products by adding sugar and marketing them as genuine jaggery. Authorities warned that such practices pose serious risks to food safety and consumer health.
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