Mundhe Seeks Evidence on FDA Extortion Allegations

Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has called for evidence after Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut accused FDA officials of threatening businesses with licence suspensions to solicit money. Mundhe said he had received no complaint or copy of Raut’s letter and said he would act against any official if the allegations were substantiated. Raut alleged that food safety officers had sought money from hotels, restaurants and quick-commerce businesses in exchange for avoiding or reversing licence action. He said operators in several cities had approached him with accounts of alleged extortion through closing notices, and called for an independent inquiry. The allegations have not been independently established in the available accounts. Raut also cited alleged payments and claimed the amount sought for closing notices had risen from Rs 10,000-12,000 to Rs 75,000-2 lakh. In one specific allegation, he said two officers in Thane collected Rs 17-18 lakh from a quick-commerce company to restore a suspended licence. That account, like the broader allegations, has not been independently verified.