Expired Food Worth ₹48 Lakh Seized in Maharashtra, FIR Names Reliance, Blinkit and Zomato Officials

A crackdown on the alleged diversion and sale of expired, damaged and rejected food products in Maharashtra has led to an FIR against a director of Reliance Consumer Products Ltd and nine others, after the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized stock worth ₹48.09 lakh across Thane and Pune districts.

The case has raised serious concerns about food safety and the disposal of products deemed unfit for sale, with investigators suspecting that food items meant for destruction were allegedly channelled back into the retail supply chain.

The FIR was registered at Shanti Nagar police station in Thane under relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Those named include V Subramaniam, whole-time director of Reliance Consumer Products; Arbinder Singh Dhinsa, whole-time director of Blinkit Commerce; and officials and employees associated with Reliance Retail and Zomato Hyperpure. Disposal agency operators and local suppliers have also been named.

FDA sources said some disposal agencies allegedly issued certificates claiming that products had been destroyed, without adequately verifying whether the destruction had actually taken place. Investigators also found discrepancies in disposal records, including mismatches in quantities and inconsistencies in consignor and consignee details.

The stock was allegedly taken to unlicensed sorting yards in Bhiwandi, where packets that appeared suitable for sale were separated and supplied to brokers and vendors. Expired and leaking products were subsequently found displayed for sale at a retail outlet in Gulzar Nagar, Bhiwandi, which allegedly operated without a licence or purchase bills.

The FDA carried out coordinated inspections on October 14 and 15 through seven teams comprising assistant commissioners and food safety officers. The total seizure was valued at ₹48,09,924, including products worth more than ₹24 lakh at a Bhiwandi disposal yard, around ₹4.92 lakh at a Reliance Consumer Products warehouse in Vadpe and nearly ₹7.81 lakh at a Zomato Hyperpure facility in Usatane.

Officials inventoried the stock, collected samples, recorded statements and prohibited the movement, sale or destruction of the seized products. Following hearings on October 15, the licences of five establishments were suspended, while operations at four unlicensed premises were stopped.