The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has suspended the food licence of Mumbai’s 125-year-old Orient Club and taken action against 42 other establishments in a statewide Diwali food safety drive. The inspections covered 73 sites and led to the seizure of 17,824 kg of food products valued at Rs 63 lakh.
The Orient Club, located opposite the Chowpatty seaface, was among five Mumbai establishments whose licences or registrations were suspended during the operation. The heritage club is known for its vegetarian menu. Other Mumbai establishments facing action were Mishti Bela and Company at Walkeshwar, Amar Sweetmeat Mart at Kalachowki and Jain Provision Stores at Malabar Hill.
In the wider Greater Mumbai region, the Maharashtra FDA also suspended the licence of Kesar Sweets in Navi Mumbai and took action against Sangeeta Farsan and Wafers in Dombivli. Across Maharashtra, the department said licences and registrations of 43 establishments were suspended.
The seized products included khoya, sweets, paneer, farsan and edible oils. The FDA said its inspections found unhygienic production and storage conditions, inadequate pest control and missing food safety documentation at establishments covered by the drive.
The missing records included water analysis reports, medical certificates for food handlers, purchase bills and other food safety documents. These requirements form part of the administrative checks used by food safety authorities to assess whether businesses are maintaining basic controls over production, storage and sourcing.
The action comes during the Diwali period, when demand for sweets, savoury snacks, dairy products and edible oils increases across Maharashtra. The inspections therefore covered both the conditions in which food was produced or stored and the documentation needed to establish compliance.
FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe said the department would apply the rules equally to large and small businesses. “Whether a brand is big or small, the rules are the same for all and the action will be equally strict. Honest businesses have our full cooperation; however, no leniency will be shown to those who endanger public health,” he said.
The department’s action places both established food businesses and smaller manufacturers under the same regulatory framework during a high-demand season. For consumers, the immediate significance is that products from the inspected establishments were removed from circulation where the FDA identified safety or compliance concerns. The supplied report does not specify the duration of each suspension or the conditions required for the affected establishments to resume operations.
The Maharashtra FDA’s Diwali drive will remain focused on inspections, enforcement and the removal of food products identified during the operation, according to the details released through the department’s statement.
