Mumbai: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday suspended four senior officers and initiated departmental inquiries against 28 others for conducting raids on two hookah tobacco manufacturers without first establishing whether the products fell under the department’s jurisdiction.
Khandare confirmed the suspensions and departmental inquiries. FDA secretary Sanjay Khandare cleared the proposal before forwarding it to the general administration department and the chief minister’s secretariat for final approval. The officers were required to independently examine the inspection reports, panchnamas, sample records, laboratory findings and proposals submitted by field teams before authorising action. The government had also assured the high court that it would investigate the lapses and take strict action against the officers responsible. However, his style of functioning has drawn criticism within the state administration.
The FDA had seized prohibited flavoured hookah and tobacco products from High Street Impex LLP in Bhiwandi in December 2025 and Soex India Private Limited in Maval in January 2026.
However, after the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) clarified that the products did not qualify as “food” under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the state government was forced to withdraw its action, release the seized goods and tender an unconditional apology before the Bombay High Court. The officers initiated coercive action against the two companies without obtaining a clear opinion from the FSSAI or another competent authority on whether flavoured hookah tobacco products could be classified as “food” under the law, according to the suspension orders. However, they failed to adequately examine the FSSAI’s jurisdiction, product classification, label declarations, intended use and proportionality of the proposed action, the orders said. The suspension orders said the episode had tarnished the state government’s image.
The suspension orders, issued by FDA under-secretary Ajit Jagtap on Friday, followed recommendations made last week by Mundhe. As HT reported on Thursday, senior bureaucrats have advised Mundhe to tread cautiously, ensure that enforcement measures are legally sound and avoid further adverse observations from the judiciary.
