Bombay High Court has told the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it tried to "kill a mosquito with a sword" by drastically cancelling an Amazon Retail warehouse licence while a suspension appeal was still pending.
Maharashtra FDA had suspended the food licence of Amazon Retail's Bhiwandi warehouse over allegations that expired goods were sent into the market instead of being destroyed. While an appeal against the suspension was ongoing, the FDA proceeded to issue a show-cause notice and cancel the license completely.
During Fridayβs hearing, the court applauded the FDA for its crackdown on eateries and other establishments but asked the regulator if it intended to shut all commercial establishments to deal with food safety violations. βAs we have already said earlier, we appreciate your action. This is laudable, and you deserve a compliment. But you have to go systematically. In order to deal with this situation, will you shut down all commercial establishments in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Palghar, the bench remarked.