The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has arrested 184 people in Pune division over three months for alleged violations of food safety regulations, while seizing food stock worth Rs 11.44 crore, according to figures released for June, July and August 2026.
The Pune division covers Satara, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur districts. The number of arrests recorded in the division was the second-highest among Maharashtra’s seven administrative divisions during the period, after Konkan, according to the data reported by the administration.
The enforcement figures were released after Tukaram Mundhe took charge of the FDA in May 2026. The administration has reported that it is pursuing criminal proceedings in addition to administrative action against establishments found violating food safety requirements.
A total of 144 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered in different cases across the division during the three-month period. FDA teams also inspected 4,261 establishments, covering food safety compliance, hygiene conditions, licences and other regulatory requirements.
The inspections resulted in improvement notices being issued to 1,321 establishments. These notices were issued in cases where establishments were found to require corrective action, according to the administration’s figures. Licences of 168 establishments were suspended after serious deficiencies or violations were detected.
The seized material included food stock confiscated during various enforcement operations. The total value of the seized stock was estimated at Rs 11.44 crore. The administration did not provide, in the reported figures, a district-wise breakdown of the arrests, inspections, suspended licences or seized material.
The data places food safety enforcement within a wider regulatory process that includes inspections, notices, licence action and criminal cases. While improvement notices give establishments an opportunity to address identified deficiencies, licence suspension and FIR registration represent stronger action in cases classified as serious or involving alleged violations of the law.
The figures also indicate that the enforcement drive covered a broad base of establishments across four districts rather than being limited to a single urban centre. However, the available information does not specify the types of establishments involved, the categories of food products seized, the number of cases that have resulted in prosecution, or whether any convictions have been recorded.
The FDA’s June-August figures are the first reported set of enforcement data from the Pune division for the period after the change in leadership mentioned by the administration. Further official updates would be required to establish whether the inspection and criminal-action levels continue in subsequent months and how establishments respond to the notices and licence suspensions.
