Maharashtra FDA Seizes Banned Gutkha, Pan Masala Worth ₹1.13 Crore After 6-Hour Chase From Samruddhi Expressway To Pune; Probe Underway
Mumbai, September 19, 2026: A six-hour dramatic chase from the Samruddhi Expressway to Pune ended with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intercepting a truck at Chakan-Talegaon Chowk and seizing prohibited gutkha and pan masala worth Rs 1.13 crore on Friday. Route Change Triggers Chase Acting on confidential information at around 2 pm on September 18, FDA teams began tracking a Tata truck…
On September 18, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Maharashtra initiated a six-hour pursuit from the Samruddhi Expressway to Pune, culminating in the seizure of prohibited gutkha and pan masala valued at Rs 1.13 crore, according to FDA officials. The probe commenced following confidential intelligence at approximately 2 pm on September 18, with FDA teams pursuing a Tata truck allegedly carrying illicit tobacco products from Madhya Pradesh.
The truck's route shifted abruptly, veering towards Pune via Sangamner instead of continuing to Bhiwandi, Thane. Concurrent deployment of FDA teams at strategic points, including the Rajgurunagar Toll Plaza, facilitated the truck's eventual interception at Chakan-Talegaon Chowk around 8 pm, with aid from local police, reported the FDA.
During the inspection at the intercepted location, officials uncovered a plethora of banned pan masala brands and flavored tobacco, alongside the vehicle purportedly used for its transport. The inventory comprised Rajnigandha Flavoured Pan Masala worth Rs 29.95 lakh, Tansen Flavoured Pan Masala valued at Rs 24.94 lakh, R.M.D. Pan Masala at Rs 26.40 lakh, Tulsi Royal Jafrani Zarda for Rs 9.60 lakh, and T.O.
Premium Zarda priced at Rs 2.64 lakh, bringing the total seizure, including the vehicle, to Rs 1,13,54,600. Five individuals were named in the complaint lodged by the Pune Food Safety Officer at Chakan Police Station on September 19, under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The accused—Nafis Mehboob Khan, Nilesh Rathi, Arun Patil, J.M.D.
Enterprises, and Sanjay Mata—are facing charges under these statutes. The FDA has directed the police to scrutinize the accused's past records, the supply chain, and financial connections to the illicit trade. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe emphasized that stringent actions would persist against entities involved in the distribution, storage, and transportation of prohibited food products, urging the public for further details on property deals in the region, available at budgetproperties.in.
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