The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended the food licence of Gallops Restaurant at the Royal Western India Turf Club in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse after an inspection found live cockroaches and ants, blood and ketchup stains on a refrigerator, damaged food packaging and water stagnation, according to an official statement reported by Mid-Day.
The suspension took effect immediately as part of the FDA’s festive-season crackdown on food establishments. The regulator said the restaurant had also failed to maintain records of annual medical examinations and vaccinations for food handlers, among several continuing violations under Schedule 4 food-safety requirements.
Four other Mumbai-based establishments have also faced action during the drive. They include Gurukrupa Dairy Products in Malad East, Gufran Seekh Corner in Versova, and Bandra West establishments Dreamer Hospitality Pvt Ltd and Mirari.
At Gurukrupa Dairy Products, FDA officials seized approximately 2,464.05 kg of adulterated and mislabelled ghee, refined sunflower oil and vanaspati, along with machinery. The total value of the seized stock and equipment was estimated at approximately Rs 15.16 lakh. A separate FDA report put the quantity of seized ghee, oil and vanaspati at about 464.6 kg, valued at Rs 15.15 lakh, from the establishment on Pandit Solitary Lane in Malad East.
The regulator said the products were being sold under the label “Pooja Ghee”, which it described as misleading. At Gufran Seekh Corner, officials found that the establishment was operating without a valid food licence or registration. The FDA cited violations involving potable-water testing, food storage and segregation. Inspections at Dreamer Hospitality and Mirari in Bandra West also found violations of hygiene and health-related provisions under Schedule 4, with further legal action initiated.
The statewide operation resulted in the seizure of approximately 10,836.65 kg or litres of food stock valued at more than Rs 30.81 lakh, as reported in the FDA statement. The seized material included khawa, mawa, peda, ghee, oil, barfi, tea powder, sweets and other dairy products. The action covered suspected adulteration, mislabelling and substandard food products during the festive season.
In the Pune division, officials acted against establishments in Sangli, Pune and Kolhapur. Four establishments in Pune accounted for approximately 934 kg of seized products valued at Rs 4.97 lakh, including khoya, cow ghee, desi ghee, skimmed-milk powder, peda, besan laddu, modak and ghee. In Chandrapur, the Nagpur division team seized 3,310 kg of tea powder worth Rs 6.75 lakh from a godown belonging to Ashok Agro Products, on suspicion that it was unsafe or substandard.
The FDA said the intensive drive was intended to ensure that safe and quality food products remain available to consumers and to take action against suspected adulteration, mislabelling and unsafe food practices. The reported cases leave the affected establishments subject to the regulator’s continuing enforcement and legal process.
