The Pune Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized adulterated paneer and khawa worth Rs 43 lakh in a late-night operation involving 15 officials from Pune, Satara and Sangli, while collecting 70 samples for laboratory testing, officials said.
The operation was conducted on Friday night after the FDA’s headquarters arranged support from the Satara and Sangli teams because of limited manpower in Pune. The seized stock had arrived in Pune from Bagalkot and surrounding areas of Karnataka, according to the report.
The three-district operation had been planned for about a week. Officials from Pune, Satara and Sangli gathered information before carrying out the raid. The FDA said the use of teams from outside Pune was intended to reduce the possibility of local political or commercial pressure during enforcement action.
The seized material included paneer and khawa valued at Rs 43 lakh. The FDA collected 70 samples during the operation and sent them to a laboratory for testing. The reports are expected within 14 days, said Nilesh Masare, assistant commissioner of the Sangli FDA division.
The operation comes as Pune’s market receives supplies of paneer from Bagalkot and nearby areas in Karnataka. The report said approximately 50 tonnes of paneer enters the Pune market from the region every day. Traders said supplies had fallen by half following FDA enforcement actions and that market availability remained limited despite the approaching festive season.
The action also highlighted the administrative challenge created by uneven staffing across districts. The FDA’s inter-district strategy allowed officials from Satara and Sangli to participate in an operation in Pune, with teams arriving in the city from early morning. The department has said officials from any district can conduct enforcement action outside their usual jurisdiction.
The laboratory findings will determine the next steps in the case. The FDA is expected to receive the reports on the collected samples within 14 days.
