Police have registered a case against a Reliance Consumer Products director and nine others after Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized food products worth Rs 48.09 lakh during a crackdown on the alleged diversion and sale of expired, damaged and rejected food items.
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, an official said.
The 10 people named in the case include officials and employees associated with Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Blinkit and Zomato Hyperpure, as well as operators of disposal agencies and local suppliers. The allegations are under investigation.
Senior officials among 10 named in FIR
Those named include V. Subramaniam, whole-time director of Reliance Consumer Products Ltd; Ashok Kumar Singh of the same company; Vijay Bhikaji Kharmale, nominee of Reliance Retail Ltd; and Nilesh Ramdasrao Deshmukh, a warehouse manager at Reliance Retail.
The other accused are Arbinder Singh Dhinsa, whole-time director of Blinkit Commerce Pvt. Ltd; Deepak Singh of Blinkit Commerce; Abid Shaikh of Zomato Hyperpure Pvt. Ltd; Babar Miya Ahmed Siddiqui of B.K. Dispose; supplier Gulzar Abdul Khan of Chavindra, Bhiwandi; and Abdul Mobin Khan of Discount Store, Bhiwandi.
FDA conducts coordinated raids in Thane, Pune
FDA said seven teams comprising assistant commissioners and food safety officers conducted simultaneous inspections at multiple locations in Thane and Pune districts on October 14 and 15.
The operation targeted the alleged diversion of expired, damaged and customer-rejected food products that were supposed to be destroyed but may instead have entered the retail supply chain.
Officials inventoried and seized the stock, collected samples, recorded statements and issued directions prohibiting the movement, sale or destruction of the seized products.
Food stock worth Rs 48.09 lakh seized
The seized products included stock valued at more than Rs 24 lakh at a disposal yard in Bhiwandi, around Rs 4.92 lakh at a Reliance Consumer Products warehouse in Vadpe and nearly Rs 7.81 lakh at a Zomato Hyperpure facility in Usatane.
The total value of the seizure was Rs 48,09,924, according to the information provided by the FDA.
Probe points to alleged diversion through disposal agencies
The FDA’s preliminary investigation indicated that expired, damaged and rejected food products meant for destruction were allegedly diverted through disposal agencies, unlicensed sorting yards and brokers before reaching retailers for sale to consumers, a source told PTI.
The agencies allegedly issued certificates and other documents stating that the products had been destroyed, without sufficient verification that the destruction had actually taken place.
Investigators also found discrepancies in disposal records, including mismatches in quantities and inconsistencies in consignor and consignee details.
Licences of five establishments suspended
According to the source, stock was allegedly sorted at unlicensed yards in Bhiwandi, where packets that appeared fit for sale were separated and supplied to brokers and local suppliers.
Expired and leaking products were subsequently found displayed for sale at a retail outlet in Gulzar Nagar, Bhiwandi, which was allegedly operating without a licence or purchase bills.
Following hearings on October 15, the FDA suspended the licences of five establishments and ordered business operations to stop at four unlicensed premises, an official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
