The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended Blink Commerce Private Limited’s food business licence at Pagaon in Bhiwandi and registered an FIR over the company’s handling of expired, spoiled and unsaleable food stock, citing failures to provide independently verifiable disposal records.
The action followed an inspection by FDA officials on October 21, during which records relating to around 18,405 expired, spoiled or unsaleable food items were found. According to a statement issued by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the stock was estimated to be worth about Rs 32.71 lakh.
The department said Blink Commerce could not establish that the stock had been collected, transported and destroyed through authorised channels. Officials found that complete records showing the movement, receipt and final disposal of the products had not been maintained at the company’s Pagaon premises in Bhiwandi taluka.
The FDA listed several documents that were not produced as independently verifiable evidence, including weighment slips, vehicle and transport details, e-way bills, goods receipt notes, timestamped photographs, CCTV footage and final disposal certificates. Company director Vijay Rajpurohit attended the hearing and submitted agreements with two disposal agencies, but the department said the agreements alone did not prove that the stock had been collected and destroyed.
The FDA also said four other vendors were named in the matter, but complete agreements and supporting records relating to them were not submitted. The competent licensing authority suspended Blink Commerce’s Food Business Licence No. 11525069000472 on October 22, citing the inspection findings, the company’s submissions during the hearing and incomplete compliance with departmental directions.
While the suspension remains in force, the company cannot conduct food business under the licence. The FDA has further ordered that the stock must not be sold, moved, transferred, repacked, relabelled or disposed of without prior written directions from the competent authority.
An FIR was registered at Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station on October 23 following a complaint by a Food Safety Officer. FIR No. 08172026 invokes relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The FDA said the roles of company officials, disposal agencies, suppliers and intermediaries are being investigated.
The investigation will also examine whether expired or unsaleable products handed over for authorised disposal were actually destroyed or were routed back into the market. The department said it had received information about the sale of expired food at some establishments in Bhiwandi, while the involvement and links of suppliers and intermediaries remain subject to further investigation and verification of evidence.
The action against Blink Commerce followed inspections by seven FDA teams from Thane and Pune on October 14 and 15. The teams visited warehouses, disposal facilities and related premises in Bhiwandi, Ambernath, Chakan and Nighoje, where expired or spoiled food stock with a total reported value of about Rs 48.09 lakh was found. The FDA said the establishments inspected could not produce complete, independently verifiable records confirming final disposal. It also reported suspensions involving premises associated with Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Zomato Hyperpure and Blinkit Commerce at Nighoje.
The FDA has reminded food business operators that expired, spoiled, customer-returned and unsaleable products must be segregated and prevented from re-entering the market. Operators have been directed to verify disposal agencies, obtain disposal certification and maintain records covering transportation, receipt and final destruction. Consumers can report expired or suspicious food through the FDA’s toll-free helpline at 1800222365 or the Food and Drug Grievance Portal.
