Maharashtra FDA suspends MLA hostel caterer's licence after 'stale food' claim by legislator
Mumbai, Jul 9 (PTI): The Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Wednesday evening suspended the licence of the caterer which operates the canteen at the Akashwani MLA hostel in Mumbai, where a staffer was assaulted by a Shiv Sena legislator for allegedly serving stale food.
The FDA, in its suspension order, stated that the contractor (Ajanta Caterers) had violated provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as well as the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.
The violations were found during an inspection conducted at the hostel earlier in the day, said the regulator.
The FDA's order directed Ajanta Caterers to cease food service operations at the hostel premises starting Thursday (July 10).
The action comes after Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slapped and punched an employee at the MLAs' hostel canteen for serving "stale food".
The MLA from Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led party said he had repeatedly raised concerns about the quality of food served in the canteen but no corrective action was taken.
"I had complained several times about the food served in the canteen but the situation remained unchanged," Gaikwad claimed.
After the incident on Tuesday night, the Buldhana MLA said the food served to him was of poor quality and he will raise the issue during the ongoing monsoon session of the #Maharashtra legislature.
— Deccan Herald (@DeccanHerald) July 9, 2025
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P&H High Court denies anticipatory bail to man accused of replacing national flag with saffron flag
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to Vikas Tomar, who is accused of removing the national flag from a mosque in Gurugram’s Uton village and replacing it with a saffron flag.
Justice Manisha Batra, presiding over the case Vikas Tomar @ Vikash Tomar v. State of Haryana, observed that the allegations against the petitioner were not vague but specific, and supported by conversations between him and other co-accused.
“The gravity of the offence and its potential impact on public order and communal peace cannot be overlooked at this stage,” the Court noted. It further stated that no exceptional circumstances had been presented that would justify granting pre-arrest bail, especially given the “serious communal and constitutional implications” of the alleged conduct.
According to the prosecution, a complaint was filed on July 7 in Bilaspur, Gurugram, reporting that anti-social elements had replaced the national flag atop a mosque with a saffron flag. Audio and video evidence were submitted along with the complaint. Two other accused were initially arrested under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 2 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honours Act, 1971, but were granted bail the same day.
The Sessions Court had earlier denied anticipatory bail to Tomar on July 15, with Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Chauhan observing that such acts threaten the social fabric in a diverse country like India. He remarked, “Any person of ordinary prudence and slightest of patriotism in his heart would not have dared to commit such a crime.”
Tomar's counsel argued before the High Court that he was not named in the FIR and had no role in the alleged incident. However, opposing counsel representing the State and the complainant contended that Tomar aimed to provoke communal unrest in the region.
Justice Batra, after considering the arguments, concluded that custodial interrogation of the accused was necessary. “No ground for grant of anticipatory bail is made out,” the Court held.
Advocate Abhimanyu Singh appeared for the petitioner, while Additional Advocate General Apoorv Garg represented the State of Haryana. Advocate Rosi appeared for the complainant.
The bail plea was dismissed.
