An operation led by Tukaram Mundhe from the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Bhiwandi has revealed expired, damaged, and rejected food items valued at Rs 33 crore. The investigation has raised alarms regarding the potential diversion of stock intended for destruction back into the market for resale.

The FDA conducted a series of coordinated inspections on October 14 and 15, targeting food retailers, warehouses, and waste-disposal contractors. The aim was to trace products that were marked for destruction. The findings resulted in a First Information Report (FIR) against ten individuals associated with food companies, warehouses, disposal agencies, and local traders.

During the inspections, officials examined a discount store in the Gulzar Nagar area of Bhiwandi. They discovered 18 types of expired, damaged, and leaking food products available for sale, totalling Rs 80,575. The store lacked the necessary food licence, and officials noted the absence of purchase bills, inward records, or supplier information, as detailed in the FIR.

Investigation Leads to Multiple Seizures

The shop operator informed investigators that the stock was sourced from Gulzar Abdul Mubin Khan. Following this lead, officials inspected Khan’s premises in Chavindra, where they found 23 types of expired and damaged products worth Rs 86,825. The stock was subsequently seized, and operations at the location were halted.

The investigation then directed officials to BK Dispose, a company managed by Babar Miyaz Ahmed Siddiqui, located in the Khoni and Kamba areas of Bhiwandi. Investigators uncovered expired stock from various companies, but the records were insufficient to ascertain the arrival dates, movement, or destruction of the products.

The FIR documents the seizure of 17,382 kg of stock valued at Rs 2.40 crore from the Khoni location, while an additional 2,198 kg, worth Rs 2.53 lakh, was confiscated from Kamba.

Inspection of Major Retailers and Disposal Records

The FDA teams also scrutinised warehouses operated by Reliance Consumer Products and Reliance Retail, as well as a Zomato Hyperpure facility that services Blinkit Commerce. These inspections raised concerns regarding the adequacy of records for the transportation and disposal of expired or damaged stock.

At Reliance Consumer Products’ Wadpe warehouse, officials identified approximately 4,659 kg of expired products valued at Rs 3.72 lakh, along with 1,414.19 kg of damaged stock worth Rs 1.20 lakh. Investigators noted that the company failed to provide sufficient documentation to prove that the stock had been transported, weighed, and disposed of through Green Earth Waste Management Services.

At a Reliance Retail facility, damaged stock worth around Rs 54,265 was found, associated with a proposed disposal arrangement with SK Traders. However, the necessary records confirming the contractor’s authorisations were unavailable. The Zomato Hyperpure facility also contained expired and unsafe products, with some packages exhibiting leaks or rodent damage.

The FIR raises questions about the claim that expired stock was sent to an entity called “Pan India Grocery Dump” in Bengaluru, with preliminary checks suggesting that this entity may not exist. The FDA suspects that products from company warehouses may have been routed through disposal contractors and intermediaries before reaching local suppliers and retailers for resale.

The FIR lists food stock valued at Rs 33.71 crore as connected to the case. Additionally, an internal FDA report indicates that five food safety licences related to Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Zomato Hyperpure, and Blinkit facilities in Maharashtra have been suspended following hearings on October 15.

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