High Court Takes Serious View of Sweet Shop Licence Suspension

The Bombay High Court has pulled up the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the suspension of the licence of Gurunanak Dairy and Sweets in Pune and imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh. The licence was suspended on June 12 following a food poisoning complaint and concerns over hygiene. The shop owner later claimed that the issues had been rectified and submitted a compliance report. A subsequent inspection reportedly awarded the shop a 98% food safety score, yet the licence remained suspended for another 34 days. The owner told the court that the closure caused losses of around ₹8.5 lakh.

Questioning the FDA’s handling of the matter, the High Court also commented on the functioning of the department under IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe. The court observed that while the department’s intentions were commendable, it appeared to have gone beyond its limits. The court permitted the sweet shop to reopen immediately and directed the FDA to pay ₹5 lakh to the owner within 30 days.