Thane FIR Names Reliance, Blinkit Officials Over Expired Food
Police in Thane have registered an FIR against 10 people, including a whole-time director of Reliance Consumer Products Ltd and senior officials of Blinkit Commerce and Zomato Hyperpure, after the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized expired and rejected food stock worth about Rs 48 lakh, PTI reported on Saturday. The case was registered at Shanti Nagar police station under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
What the FDA Found
Seven FDA teams of assistant commissioners and food safety officers carried out simultaneous checks on October 14 and 15 at several places in Thane and Pune districts. Officials said they seized goods worth Rs 48,09,924 in all, including over Rs 24 lakh from a disposal yard in Bhiwandi, about Rs 4.92 lakh from a Reliance Consumer Products warehouse at Vadpe and nearly Rs 7.81 lakh from a Zomato Hyperpure facility at Usatane.
According to the FDA’s preliminary findings, food meant for destruction was allegedly diverted through disposal agencies, unlicensed sorting yards and brokers to retailers. Officials said disposal agencies allegedly issued destruction certificates without proper checks, and records showed mismatched quantities and consignor details. A retail outlet in Gulzar Nagar, Bhiwandi, was allegedly found selling expired and leaking products without a licence or purchase bills.
Who Has Been Named
Those named in the FIR include V Subramaniam of Reliance Consumer Products, Arbinder Singh Dhinsa of Blinkit Commerce, an official of Zomato Hyperpure, staff of Reliance Retail, a disposal agency operator, a supplier and a discount store owner in Bhiwandi. The allegations have not been tested in court, and the reports did not carry responses from the companies.
After hearings on October 15, the FDA suspended the licences of five establishments and stopped business at four unlicensed premises. The seized goods cannot be moved, sold or destroyed while the probe continues.
Why It Matters for Shoppers
Quick-commerce apps and large retail chains now supply groceries to millions of households. If expired stock can slip back into the market through disposal channels, families buying from small local shops may end up with unsafe food without knowing it.
The case also puts the spotlight on how companies check the agencies they hire to destroy rejected goods. Our earlier report on FSSAI notices to BigBasket and Flipkart shows regulators are paying closer attention to online food sellers.
Investigators will now examine the records and samples collected. Consumers are advised to check expiry dates and packaging, and to buy from licensed sellers who issue bills.
Based on reporting by The Siasat Daily / PTI, ETV Bharat and Deccan Herald.
Image: The News Minute (file photo of a Zomato Hyperpure warehouse).
