FDA suspends license of Mumbai's Otters Club over analogue paneer; Crackdown on several other establishments across Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food license of Otters Club in Bandra, for the use of analogue paneer, including several other restaurants in Mumbai.

Other establishments across Maharashtra also had their licences suspended after inspections found alleged hygiene, storage, pest-control and food-safety violations during the ongoing statewide enforcement drive between July 14, 2026, and August 17, 2026.

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Among the establishments facing action are Otters Club in Bandra, Prince of Wales Restaurant in Khar West, Café Sifarish in Andheri East, Raj Oil Trading in Vile Parle East and Hotel Chul Mutton in Pune. Legal action was also initiated against Daily Fresh Bakers & Cakes in Dahisar, while the FDA recorded action against Shivam Traders in Nagpur.

FDA officials inspected Otters Club in Bandra on Tuesday (August 17, 2026) and found a product labelled ‘Regular Paneer’ and classified as ‘Proprietary Food’, supplied by Punjab Sind Dairy. The FDA alleged that it was analogue paneer. The FDA had prohibited the manufacture, storage and sale of analogue paneer in Maharashtra.

Inspectors further found dirty floors, broken tiles, partially blocked drains and damaged refrigerator gaskets that could cause temperature fluctuations. Its FSSAI food licence was suspended on August 18. The club had also failed to maintain records for Total Polar Compounds in edible oil and was not following the First-In-First-Out system for managing food stocks, according to the FDA.

The registration certificate of Prince of Wales Restaurant in Khar West was suspended after officials reported inadequate arrangements for maintaining hot and cold food temperatures, improper storage facilities and insufficient pest-control measures. Equipment and food containers were allegedly not maintained in a food-safe condition, while officials also recorded peeling paint and plaster, condensation, inadequate waste-disposal arrangements and the absence of insect-proof netting. The establishment had also allegedly failed to prominently display its FSSAI registration.

At Café Sifarish in Andheri East, the food licence was suspended after the establishment failed to submit a compliance report following an earlier Improvement Notice. The deficiencies included inadequate hot and cold storage, lack of separate storage for chemicals and personal belongings, shortcomings in staff hygiene facilities and poor general cleanliness, according to the FDA.

In Dahisar, legal action was initiated against Daily Fresh Bakers & Cakes after an inspection carried out following a complaint found cakes allegedly being prepared on counter floors, pest infestation and expired food colours being used.

The FDA said the establishment held only a retail registration despite manufacturing cakes at the premises. Employees were allegedly working without gloves or aprons, while ovens, trays and utensils were found blackened, rusted or unclean.

Medical fitness records, food and water test reports, food-grade material documents and FoSTaC training certificates were also unavailable. The FDA material provided does not state that the establishment's licence was suspended.

Outside Mumbai, the FSSAI licence of Hotel Chul Mutton in Lohegaon, Pune, was suspended with immediate effect over serious violations of hygiene and sanitary requirements under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards regulations.

The FDA also took action against Shivam Traders at Gandhibag in Nagpur on August 14 for alleged non-compliance with Schedule 4 hygiene requirements. The department's statement does not specify whether its licence was suspended.

Separately, on August 17, FDA officials intercepted vehicle AR 02 C 7766 at Charoti Toll Naka in Palghar and seized a consignment of colostrum listed at approximately 2,54,640 units and valued at ₹2.12 lakh. The stock, held by Idris Rahimsha Juneja, was subsequently destroyed over inadequate temperature control, unhygienic transportation, missing labels and suspicion of adulteration.

The FDA also intensified action against banned gutkha, pan masala and scented tobacco. Seven FIRs were registered and 10 people arrested across the Konkan, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur divisions. Goods worth ₹99.39 lakh were seized, including vehicles valued at ₹24 lakh in Pune and Nashik.

The largest seizure was reported from Nashik division, where two FIRs were registered, two people arrested and goods worth ₹88.36 lakh seized. In Pune division, three FIRs were registered, and seven people arrested, with goods worth ₹10.07 lakh seized. One FIR each was registered in the Konkan and Nagpur divisions.

Under the “Safe Food, Safe Maharashtra” drive, officials also seized other food products, including milk and dairy items, bakery products and edible oil, weighing a combined 5,659 kg and valued at approximately ₹8.22 lakh.

On August 16, a vehicle bearing registration MH 23 AU 5364 was inspected at Barshi in Solapur and stocks of rabdi, Indian sweet rabdi and gulab jamun premix were seized over improper temperature control, inadequate labelling and suspicion that the products were misbranded or sub-standard. The FDA's figures list the quantity as 5,23,200 units and the value as ₹3,400.