Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Singham Effect: Maharashtra Food Crackdown Exposes Deep Rot
An important government officer named Tukaram Mundhe is cleaning up food safety in Maharashtra, India.
People call him 'Singham,' after a brave movie hero, because he checks even famous and fancy places.
His teams visit restaurants, dairies, and canteens to look for unsafe food.
They found people making fake milk using detergent, oil, and even shampoo.
Experts think more than two crore litres of this fake milk may have been sold in six months.
They also found old, expired food being relabelled to look fresh and sold again.
Famous brands like Shalimar and Parsi Dairy Farm were told to stop selling for a while because they were not clean.
Even the Bombay High Court's own canteens were inspected, right after the court asked why government places were being spared.
Many people are happy that rich clubs and government offices are treated the same as everyone else.
The article says the real solution is a better, fairer food-safety system, not just one strict officer.
IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration Commissioner, led raids across the state's kitchens, dairies and canteens.
Investigators found networks producing synthetic milk using detergent, palm oil, emulsifiers and even shampoo, with over two crore litres possibly entering the market in six months.
Expired goods were repackaged using chemicals to erase dates and counterfeit stickers, with stock redirected to warehouses in Bhiwandi and sold at discounts.
Iconic brands Shalimar and Parsi Dairy Farm faced suspensions after inspections found pests, expired stock, unhygienic storage and cross-contamination risks.
The Bombay High Court asked why government institutions were being spared, and Mundhe's teams inspected High Court canteens the next day.
Not included
- Who
- Tukaram Mundhe, an IAS officer who is the Commissioner of Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration, and his inspection teams.
- What
- A food-safety crackdown uncovering synthetic milk production, repackaged expired goods and unhygienic conditions at elite clubs, dairies and government canteens.
- When
- Over the past two months, covering an estimated six months of adulterated milk supply.
- Where
- Mumbai and wider Maharashtra, including warehouses in Bhiwandi and the city's wholesale markets.
- Why
- To stop food adulteration and enforce hygiene standards after inspectors found contaminants, expired stock and unsafe storage.
- Lead official
- Tukaram Mundhe, IAS officer with 25 transfers in 21 years
- Adulterated milk estimate
- Over 2 crore litres in 6 months
- Adulterants found
- Detergent, palm oil, emulsifiers, shampoo
- Raided venues
- Cricket Club of India, K. Rustom, Bombay High Court canteens
- Suspended brands
- Shalimar, Parsi Dairy Farm
- Violations found
- Pests, expired stock, unhygienic storage, cross-contamination risks
- Expired goods tactics
- Date-erasing chemicals, counterfeit stickers, Bhiwandi warehouses