Bombay HC makes food safety body pay Rs 5 lakh for not restoring Pune shop’s licence despite 98% compliance

The Bombay High Court has reprimanded the Maharashtra food safety authority and ordered it to pay Rs 5 lakh to a Pune sweets shop, Gurunanak Dairy and Sweets, for suspending its licence despite a 98 percent compliance in a re-inspection. Notably, the shut shop suffered a loss of Rs 8.5 lakh in revenue due to the suspension. The court deemed the food safety body's actions as "strange policy and perversity," revoking the licence suspension order and permitting the business to resume operations.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has 30 days to pay the compensation to Gurunanak Dairy and Sweets. The court expressed its disapproval, stating that the authority should have immediately lifted the suspension once it noticed the high level of compliance.