Maharashtra FDA Suspends Four Officials, Including Pune Joint Commissioner, Over Unauthorised Raids in Pune and Bhiwandi; 21 Face Departmental Inquiry
Maharashtra FDA has suspended four food officials, including Pune’s Joint Commissioner, for raids outside their jurisdiction. 21 officials from Pune and Thane face an inquiry.
Photo: Pinakpani / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 1st November 2026: In what the department itself has called one of its biggest disciplinary actions against its own officers, Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended four officials over raids allegedly carried out outside their authorised jurisdiction in Pune and Bhiwandi. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered against 21 officials from the Pune and Thane divisions.
The suspensions were ordered through a Government Resolution after the Chief Minister’s approval, according to reports published on Saturday, 31 October.
Who has been suspended
- Digambar Bhogawade, Joint Commissioner (Food), Pune division
- Yaduraj Dahatonde, Assistant Commissioner (Food)
- Ashok Ilager, Food Safety Officer
- C R Swamy, Food Safety Officer
The inquiry list includes senior officers from both divisions, among them the Joint Commissioners of Pune and Thane, several Assistant Commissioners and Food Safety Officers, and a Scientific Officer. Some of the suspended officers also figure in the inquiry list.
What the inquiry will look at
The inquiry will examine whether the officials broke departmental procedure and crossed jurisdictional limits during enforcement operations. In food safety work, officers are assigned specific areas, and raids, sampling and seizures outside those areas need prior approval. Further action will depend on the findings. No minister or senior official has publicly explained the details of the raids that led to the action, and the suspended officers’ side has not been reported.
Why it matters for Pune consumers
The timing is awkward. Diwali is the peak season for food adulteration checks on khoa, mawa, sweets, ghee, edible oil and dry fruits, and the FDA’s Pune division has been active this month. Our earlier report covered the FDA’s seizure of dry fruits in Pune before the festival, and the department has also acted against quick commerce firms over expired food.
With a Joint Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner suspended, the state will need to make sure festival-season inspections in Pune do not slow down. Raids must follow procedure, but the public interest in safe sweets and oil during Diwali remains.
How to report adulterated food
If you suspect a sweet shop or dairy is selling adulterated or stale food, you can complain to the FDA. Keep the bill, note the shop’s name and address and, if possible, keep a sample sealed. Complaints can be made through the FDA Maharashtra website or the national Food Safety Connect app run by FSSAI. Simple home tests published by FSSAI, such as checking khoa for starch with iodine, can also help, though only a lab test is conclusive.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Maharashtra FDA suspend four officials?
For allegedly conducting raids outside their authorised jurisdiction in Pune and Bhiwandi.
Which officials were suspended by the FDA?
Pune Joint Commissioner (Food) Digambar Bhogawade, Assistant Commissioner (Food) Yaduraj Dahatonde, and Food Safety Officers Ashok Ilager and C R Swamy.
How many FDA officials face a departmental inquiry?
21 officials from the Pune and Thane divisions face a departmental inquiry.
