28 September,2026 02:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut has written to Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, alleging that some officials are using the fear created by the department's ongoing enforcement drive to extort money from hotels, restaurants and other businesses.
In his letter dated September 27, Raut sought immediate action and an independent inquiry into the alleged extortion.
The allegations have not been independently established. The FDA's response to Raut's allegations was not immediately available.
Raut began his letter by praising Mundhe's enforcement drive since he took charge of the FDA in May 2026. He welcomed action against adulterated paneer, milk, unhygienic hotel kitchens and expired products, saying such measures were important from a public health perspective.
However, Raut alleged that "the other side of this action is equally shocking", claiming that some FDA officials were taking advantage of the fear created among traders by the crackdown.
Raut alleged that Designated Officers, Assistant Commissioners and Food Safety Officers were threatening hotels, restaurants and other businesses with licence suspension and demanding money to avoid or resolve such action.
He claimed that the alleged "rate" for a closing notice had increased from around Rs 10,000-12,000 before Mundhe took charge to between Rs 75,000 and Rs 2 lakh after the enforcement drive intensified.
Raut said businesses were being placed in a "double bind", facing action for violations while allegedly being pressured to pay money to avoid licence-related consequences.
Raut alleged that the third floor of the FDA headquarters in Bandra and the department's Thane office had emerged as key locations where officials were allegedly demanding money.
He also claimed that traders from Nagpur, Pune, Solapur, Wardha and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar had approached him with complaints related to closing notices.
In his letter, Raut claimed that FDA officials were not following the prescribed procedure before suspending licences.
He said the process should involve an inspection notice, a period for compliance, an improvement notice, a further period for corrective action and a hearing before the Designated Officer. According to Raut, licence suspension should follow only if satisfactory improvement is not made after these steps.
He alleged that immediate suspension based on issues such as rats, cockroaches or expired goods was being used to threaten businesses.
Raut also alleged that a pair of Designated Officers in Thane had collected Rs 17-18 lakh from a quick-commerce company to facilitate the restoration of a suspended licence.
The allegation has not been independently verified.
He further claimed that one hotel's licence was suspended over a social media post alleging the presence of a rat, although, according to him, officials had not personally seen a rat. He also questioned whether all customer complaints prompting raids were genuine and independently verified.
Raut called for an independent inquiry into what he described as a "closing notice rate card" and allegations of money being collected in exchange for restoring suspended licences.
His demands include making verification of customer complaints mandatory, taking disciplinary action against officials who bypass the legal notice-and-hearing process, and conducting an independent probe into the alleged Rs 17-18 lakh collection in Thane.
He also demanded that the FDA make public the reasons, dates and hearing summaries relating to licence suspensions and reinstatements.
Raut further alleged that smaller businesses were facing stricter action while powerful pharmaceutical interests were being treated differently, and urged Mundhe to demonstrate equal enforcement across sectors.
