Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Tuesday, 29 September publicly challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut to submit concrete evidence of alleged extortion by FDA field officers — either directly to him or to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) — after Raut's letter accusing the regulatory body of systemic corruption surfaced in the media. Mundhe stated that no official copy of the letter had reached his office and that he first learned of the allegations through news reports.

What Mundhe Said

Addressing the charges head-on, Mundhe expressed openness to accountability while pushing back on the vagueness of the allegations. 'I am really thankful to him (Sanjay Raut). My only request to him is that if he has specific details, he should share them with me or with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) — whichever agency he trusts. If any of my officers are engaging in corruption, please bring it to my notice with complete details,' the commissioner said.

Mundhe also sought to reassure businesses wary of coming forward, noting that the FDA's official complaint portal automatically conceals the identity of complainants, and pledging that any disclosures made directly to him would be kept strictly confidential.

What Raut Alleged

In his letter to Mundhe, Raut acknowledged that the commissioner had launched a wide-ranging crackdown on food adulteration and unhygienic restaurant conditions since taking charge on 25 May — but alleged that a 'dark side' had emerged alongside the enforcement drive. According to Raut, Designated Officers (DOs), Assistant Commissioners, and Food Safety Officers (FSOs) were threatening hotels, restaurants, and warehouse operators with immediate licence suspensions to extort large sums.

Raut claimed that the going rate to settle or close an inspection notice had allegedly risen from ₹10,000–₹12,000 before Mundhe's tenure to ₹75,000–₹2,00,000 in the wake of the recent enforcement raids. He identified the FDA headquarters in Bandra, Mumbai, and the regional FDA office in Thane as alleged nerve centres for an unlawful collection drive.

In a specific instance cited by Raut, two Designated Officers in Thane reportedly demanded ₹17–18 lakh from a quick-commerce enterprise to restore a suspended licence. He further alleged that officers were bypassing mandatory statutory steps — including issuing improvement notices, granting compliance windows, and holding formal hearings — in favour of summary suspensions triggered by unverified complaints.

Scale of the Enforcement Drive

Since Mundhe assumed charge in late May 2026, the Maharashtra FDA has undertaken what officials describe as an unprecedented regulatory sweep across the state. Between May and August, the FDA inspected 12,083 establishments, issued 5,269 improvement notices, and suspended 603 licences. Mundhe has consistently maintained that rigorous oversight is essential for public safety and food quality standards.

Wider Context and What Comes Next

The exchange highlights a tension that frequently accompanies aggressive regulatory drives: enforcement action that is publicly celebrated for protecting consumers can, critics argue, create conditions in which officials with discretionary power extract rents from businesses that fear retaliation. This is not the first time Maharashtra's food safety enforcement machinery has attracted allegations of rent-seeking; past cycles of intensified inspection drives have similarly generated complaints from the hospitality and retail sectors.

Notably, Raut's letter — while critical of field-level officers — did not accuse Mundhe personally of corruption, making the commissioner's zero-tolerance counter-statement a calculated move to place accountability squarely back on those making the allegations. Whether Raut or any affected business formally approaches the ACB will be the next significant development in this standoff.