1,100 Raids, Zero Mercy: Real-Life 'Singham' Tukaram Mundhe Takes Down Fake Milk and Paneer Mafia in Maharashtra

IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe's aggressive campaign against food adulteration in Maharashtra has uncovered massive food safety violations across the state, but the sweeping crackdown has now reached an unexpected destination, government canteens, following intervention by the Bombay High Court.

Since taking charge as Commissioner of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 25, 2026, Mundhe, popularly known as "Singham" for his uncompromising style, has led one of the state's largest food safety enforcement drives. In just over two months, the FDA has carried out more than 1,100 raids, seizing over 1.5 lakh litres of fake milk and 35 tonnes of adulterated paneer allegedly manufactured using skimmed milk powder, vegetable oil and hazardous chemicals. Some samples even reportedly contained shampoo, prompting Mundhe to describe the products as " absolute poison " and vow continued action against food adulterators.

The campaign, however, came under judicial scrutiny while the Bombay High Court heard a petition filed by the HR head of a Navi Mumbai five-star hotel whose food licence had been suspended by the FDA. During the hearing, a Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad questioned whether the FDA had ever inspected the High Court's own canteen or the nearby Mantralaya, observing that enforcement should not be confined to private establishments.

Acting on the court's directions, a committee inspected all three Mantralaya canteens. The Bench later termed the FDA's earlier reports claiming 98 per cent compliance as " unreliable " after photographs allegedly showed broken drainage, stagnant water, leaking taps and unhygienic refrigeration. Calling the near-perfect rating "laughable," the court ordered improvement notices and a fresh inspection, while simultaneously praising the FDA's broader crackdown and emphasising that enforcement must remain impartial, fair and uniform.

The numbers from the ongoing drive remain staggering. A dedicated 30-day dairy enforcement campaign resulted in 360 raids, 235 FIRs, 350 arrests and 274 illegal units sealed, amid findings that nearly 79 per cent of tested milk samples failed purity standards.

The FDA also seized 225 kg of paneer and cheese analogue in Pune's Shivajinagar, destroyed nearly 700 kg of adulterated peda near the Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi and suspended the licence of Mumbai's iconic K. Rustom & Co. ice cream parlour for food safety violations.

Having been transferred 25 times in 21 years, Mundhe has remained steadfast in his approach. The High Court's latest order has only reinforced the message that, whether it is a roadside dairy, a luxury hotel or a government canteen, food safety laws must apply equally to all.