Tukaram Mundhe's Maharashtra FDA crackdown reaches Cipla and targets health supplements

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has cancelled the distribution licences for a major Cipla warehouse in Pune, marking the latest escalation in a sweeping regulatory campaign led by the state’s food and drug commissioner, Tukaram Mundhe.

The order, issued on 1 October by Pune's Assistant Commissioner of Drugs, shut down operations at the Cipla Pharma & Life Sciences carrying and forwarding warehouse in Wadki. The regulator cited multiple violations, including improper storage of medicines directly on the floor, dust accumulation, and a lack of designated areas for expired drugs. The FDA also objected to the packaging of Reactin Plus, a prescription painkiller, which featured illustrations of human figures and descriptions of the drug’s benefits that the regulator deemed illegal misbranding.

Cipla expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that the Wadki facility operates in compliance with distribution and storage protocols and that it is reviewing its legal options.

The move against one of India’s largest pharmaceutical companies is part of a high-profile enforcement drive by Mundhe, an IAS officer who took charge of the state's FDA after a career marked by 25 transfers in 21 years.

In recent months, Mundhe’s department has suspended the licences of dozens of restaurants and food establishments across Mumbai and the wider state for hygiene and safety violations. His tactics, which include releasing photographs and videos of unsanitary kitchens during raids, have drawn sharp criticism from restaurant owners who accuse the department of public shaming.

"My purpose is not to paint anybody black or white," Mundhe said in response to the backlash. "It is to let people know what is happening." He dismissed claims of targeting businesses during festivals, stating that his focus remains entirely on public health, which he described as "religion-neutral" and "culture-neutral".

Who is Tukaram Mundhe?

Mundhe’s uncompromising approach has made him a controversial figure. Online, supporters celebrate him as a public hero tackling corporate negligence and food adulteration. Among business owners, however, his raids are viewed as overly aggressive.

Before targeting pharmaceutical warehouses, the FDA had already banned junk food and soft drinks near school gates and cracked down on adulterated milk, fake cheese, and gutkha syndicates.

What happens next with health supplements?

Mundhe is now shifting his focus to the rapidly growing health supplement and nutraceutical market. The Indian dietary supplement industry was worth approximately ’20,146 crore in 2025 and is projected to expand to ’57,262 crore by 2034, according to the market research firm IMARC.

Mundhe described initial regulatory findings in the sector as "disturbing", alleging that many over-the-counter supplements do not contain the ingredients they claim to have on their packaging. The FDA plans to release a new directive regulating how supplements are manufactured, marketed, and sold, including whether certain products should require a doctor’s prescription.

"Next, nutraceuticals will cover the younger generation," Mundhe said, explaining that his phased approach aims to protect consumer health across different age groups, from infants to young adults.