Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of Blinkit’s warehouse in Bhiwandi after officials found serious gaps in records relating to expired, damaged and rejected food products worth more than ₹32.71 lakh.
The action followed an inspection on October 21, 2026. According to reports released on October 23, Blinkit could not provide complete traceability records or proof that approximately 18,405 food items had been properly destroyed.
The Department suspended licensed operations at the facility, because of concerns for consumer safety.
Why did Maharashtra FDA Suspend Blinkit’s Licence?
When the inspection was conducted, officials examined records of food products that were expired, damaged or rejected. These are not products for sale and have to be handled and disposed according to food safety requirements.
However, investigators found that Blinkit couldn’t make the full movement and final disposal of the stock. The missing documentation raised questions about whether products designed to be destroyed could be diverted and brought back to the market.
The FDA regarded the issue as a potential public health risk. The licence suspension is intended to prevent further licensed operations at the facility while the issue is addressed.
FIR Filed Against Company Personnel
Following the regulatory action, an FIR was registered at Bhiwandi Taluka Police Station against Blinkit personnel and several vendors involved in scrap disposal.
The names are probably a whole-time director, facility managers and disposal-related vendors, sources said. There are allegations of cheating and criminal conspiracy under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and section 59(i) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Investigators suspect that food items marked for disposal may have been diverted for resale rather than being destroyed in authorised channels.
But the allegations have not been established in court. FIR registration does not prove that any accused person is guilty.
Why is the case important for quick-commerce companies?
Blinkit operates in the quick-commerce area, where consumers expect groceries and other daily essentials to be delivered in minutes. Proper storage, expiry checks and disposal records are therefore very important.
In the case, the importance of tracking products in the supply chain is also highlighted. Companies need to have accurate records of when damaged or expired items are removed from inventory, transferred to disposal contractors and finally destroyed.
Without such documentation, regulators might not be able to determine whether unsafe products are out of circulation.
Maharashtra FDA Enhances Food Safety Checks
The action against Blinkit is part of a wider Maharashtra FDA investigation into the handling of expired, damaged and rejected food products.
Earlier inspections in parts of Thane and Pune districts have involved warehouses, disposal agencies and retailers. The agency was investigating whether goods which were meant for destruction were in fact diverted through intermediaries and offered for resale.
The probe has also brought greater attention to food businesses and the contractors who dispose of unsellable products.
What is going to happen next?
Blinkit’s Bhiwandi facility is now under regulatory and legal scrutiny. The next steps will depend on the investigation, the company’s compliance with the authorities’ directions and any further regulatory decisions.
For consumers, it’s a case that shows us how expiry-date checks and safe food-handling are important. For quick-commerce firms, it shows why more inventory management and verifiable disposal procedures are required.
The main issue is not just the value of the products involved, but whether food declared unfit for sale was properly accounted for and kept out of the consumer market.
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