Maharashtra food safety body raids Bandra’s Otters Club, suspends licence over violations

The Maharashtra food safety authority suspended the licenses of establishments at Bandra's esteemed Otters Club on Tuesday for various infractions, including the use of prohibited analog paneer. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was alerted by a complaint concerning poor hygiene conditions at the venue. Upon inspection, the FDA identified a multitude of issues, such as unclean flooring, malfunctioning refrigerators, absence of Total Polar Compounds (TPC) testing records for cooking oil, and most alarmingly, the sale of a brand named Regular Paneer (Punjab Sind Dairy) in violation of a state-wide ban.

The club was found to be preparing paneer dishes using this prohibited substitute. According to an FDA official, the FDA received a complaint about hygiene lapses at the restaurant and conducted an inspection, uncovering the presence of analog paneer even though it was unclear whether it was in use. The Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe issued this directive under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the ban on analog paneer, along with the directive to cease its use, will take effect immediately and will remain in force for one year.

This action follows a series of similar measures taken against prominent clubs in Mumbai, including those at Cricket Club of India, RK Juhu Gymkhana, Aparna Juhu Gymkhana, MIG Cricket Club, and Willingdon Sports Club, as well as a restaurant at Goregaon Sports Club in Malad West.