{
  "id": 3194917,
  "title": "Karnataka Suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket Licences Over ‘Datura’ Sales",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/karnataka-suspends-amazon-instamart-bigbasket-licences-over-datura-3194917",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-25T04:41:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/karnataka-suspends-amazon-instamart-bigbasket-licences-over-datura-sales"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bengaluru: The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has revoked the food licences of major e-commerce platforms Amazon, Instamart, and BigBasket for selling potentially harmful datura fruits and seeds. This regulatory action followed a probe into the sale of these toxic products on various online marketplaces. Datura, often referred to as dhatura, was being marketed as a fruit at prices ranging from Rs 18 to Rs 20 per piece. The inquiry uncovered datura products listed and sold on multiple e-commerce sites, despite carrying FSSAI license or registration numbers, raising serious health concerns. E-commerce representatives attended the proceedings, with Amazon failing to respond, Instamart requesting more time, and BigBasket stating it had ceased online sales but would update labels to warn about non-consumption. However, the Food Safety Department deemed these responses insufficient, ruling that the storage, sale, or distribution of datura as food is illegal. The department has given the platforms a chance to reverse the suspension by providing their responses, but the process can be halted if they fail to comply.",
  "summary": "Bengaluru : Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has suspended the food licences of Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket for selling poisonous dhatura (dhatura) fruits and seeds on their platform for human consumption. Datura was being sold as a fruit at around Rs 18-20 per piece on these platforms. The action comes after the regulatory authority ordered a probe into the sale of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket licences over 'datura' sale",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/karnataka-suspends-amazon-instamart-bigbasket-licences-over-datura",
        "published": "2026-08-25T01:21:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}