The Thane Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the licences of five food-related establishments linked to Reliance Consumer Products, Reliance Retail, Zomato Hyperpure and Blinkit following an investigation into the alleged diversion of expired, damaged and rejected food products back into the retail market.
An FIR was registered at Shanti Nagar Police Station in Thane after an FDA operation across Thane and Pune uncovered an alleged network involving corporate warehouses, disposal agencies, unlicensed sorting yards and local retailers. Ten individuals associated with the companies and other businesses have been named as accused in the case. Ten individuals associated with the companies and other businesses have been named as accused in the case.
The case has been registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 after an FDA operation across Thane and Pune uncovered an alleged network involving corporate warehouses, disposal agencies, unlicensed sorting yards and local retailers. The allegations are subject to investigation.
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According to the complaint filed by Food Safety Officer Pravin Balasaheb Shinde, expired and rejected food products intended for destruction were allegedly handed over to disposal agencies without adequate verification of their authorisation or proof that the goods had actually been destroyed. Investigators suspect that the stock was subsequently diverted to unlicensed facilities and sold through retail outlets.
Five Establishments Face Licence Suspension
The FDA suspended the licences of five establishments on October 15, 2026. These include Reliance Consumer Products and Reliance Retail facilities at Vadpe in Bhiwandi, a Reliance Retail warehouse at Chakan in Pune, a Zomato Hyperpure facility at Usatane in Ambernath, and a Blinkit warehouse at Nighoje in Pune.
Authorities seized 6,073.19 kg of stock worth Rs 4.91 lakh from the Reliance Consumer Products facility at Vadpe. Another approximately 300 kg, valued at Rs 51,265, was seized from the Reliance Retail warehouse at the same location.
At the Zomato Hyperpure facility, investigators seized 1,590 kg of stock valued at approximately Rs 7.81 lakh. The complaint also alleges that the company invoiced food stock at unusually low rates to an entity named Pan India Grocery Dump in Bengaluru, which preliminary inquiries reportedly found did not exist.
Seizures from the Reliance Retail and Blinkit facilities in Pune were recorded as part of a combined stock balance valued at approximately Rs 6.58 lakh. The overall campaign seizure value was reported at Rs 48.09 lakh.
Disposal Agencies Under Investigation
The complaint alleges that authorised disposal agencies, including S.K. Traders and Green Earth Waste Management, were involved in a process that allowed expired goods to reach unlicensed sorting yards, including B.K. Dispose. Raids were conducted at suspected locations and retail outlets.
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