Mumbai’s famous Poornima Restaurant moves HC against FDA, says got ‘official communication after raid’

‘Official communication after raid’: What Poornima Restaurant claims

In its petition, filed through its proprietor Pramod J Nayak and days after the FDA shut its operations in Mumbai’s Fort area, Poornima restaurant claimed procedural lapses by FDA, alleging that the authority acted in a “high-handed manner” before suspending its license.

The restaurant claimed that the FDA did not issue prescribed improvement notice before suspending its licence. Calling the suspension “arbitrary and disproportionate”, the eatery said the licence suspension has “severely affected” its business and livelihood.

It also alleged that the FDA officials sent inspection-related emails after the raid to create records of compliance and ordered closure of other licensed premises without inspection.

‘Flies, stagnant water, rust’: What FDA found at Poornima Restaurant

Post the assessment, the FDA alleged that contaminated raw ingredients were stored with cooked and frozen food products at the restaurant. Inspectors also found flies, stagnant water, dirty drains without the cockroach traps, unhygienic walls, peeling paint and rust.

Among the key findings was fungal growth on stored raw vegetables, including bananas, used to prepare the restaurant’s signature dish banana vada. “Considering the fact that idli and dosa batter is acidic in nature, fungal infestation in the kitchen may cause serious health hazards,” an FDA official said.

Last week, the Aurangabad bench of the HC granted an interim stay on FDA’s order suspending licenses of some milk suppliers and vendors, noting lack of compliance with the procedure. Referring to the suspension of licenses as ‘drastic action’ by the FDA, the court underlined that there was no emergency that required such a step without granting a hearing to the petitioners.