Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has denied reports that he was transferred, saying he remains in charge of the department and that its enforcement drive against unsafe food, adulterated products and substandard medicines will continue.
The clarification came after speculation grew around a possible transfer of the senior IAS officer. The speculation followed the state government’s decision to appoint Mundhe secretary of a five-member committee investigating alleged paper leaks and irregularities in Maharashtra Public Service Commission examinations.
“No, I have not been transferred from FDA,” Mundhe said in a post on X on Monday night. “I continue to serve as Commissioner, FDA Maharashtra. Our fight against unsafe, substandard, adulterated food and spurious, substandard drugs goes on,” he added.
Mundhe’s tenure at the FDA has drawn public attention because of intensified inspections, raids and enforcement action involving eateries, food businesses and other establishments. The department has acted against alleged violations including the sale or use of unsafe and adulterated products, as well as licensing and compliance failures.
The campaign has affected the way food businesses are being scrutinised, while bringing food safety compliance and the functioning of eateries into sharper public focus. Consumers have welcomed the emphasis on accountability and action against unsafe products, while sections of the restaurant and food business industry have opposed measures taken against their establishments.
Some enforcement measures have also been challenged in courts, placing aspects of the FDA’s regulatory drive under legal scrutiny. The available report does not specify the cases, establishments or court proceedings involved.
Mundhe’s appointment to the MPSC inquiry committee followed protests over the functioning of the state recruitment body. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the five-member panel would examine the tenures of current and former chairpersons and members of the MPSC.
The committee has also been tasked with investigating allegations of paper leaks and irregularities in examinations conducted by the commission. Mundhe’s role in that inquiry has therefore become the immediate context for the transfer speculation, although his statement confirms that he continues to head the FDA.
For urban consumers, the FDA’s enforcement work remains directly linked to the safety of food sold by restaurants and other food businesses, as well as the quality of medicines available through the market. For operators, the department’s actions continue to carry implications for licensing, compliance and inspections. Mundhe’s statement indicates that the current enforcement drive will proceed while the MPSC inquiry panel undertakes its assigned investigation.
