Fake FDA Officers Allegedly Extort Rs 6 Lakh from Vasai Sweet Shop Owner; Four Booked
Vasai, 15th July 2026: Police have registered a case against four individuals for allegedly posing as officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and extorting ₹6 lakh from the owner of a sweet shop in Vasai by threatening to seal the establishment over alleged food adulteration.
According to the complaint, the incident took place on June 23, when the accused visited the sweet shop claiming to be FDA officers attached to the department headed by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. They allegedly conducted an inspection of food products at the shop and claimed that the items were adulterated.
The accused reportedly threatened the shop owner with sealing the premises and initiating legal action unless he paid ₹6 lakh to settle the matter. Fearing action against his business, the owner allegedly handed over the money.
However, after the individuals left, the shop owner became suspicious of their conduct and approached the police. Based on his complaint, Manikpur Police registered a case of cheating and extortion against Vijay Jadhav, Swati Tulskar, Tejas Rathod, and another unidentified accomplice.
Police officials said that two of the accused—Vijay Jadhav and Swati Tulskar—had previously been booked in a similar case in Borivali, where they allegedly impersonated FDA officials and cheated a hotel owner. Investigators are now probing whether the suspects were operating an organised racket targeting business establishments by exploiting ongoing FDA enforcement drives across Maharashtra.
The four accused are currently absconding, and police have launched a search operation to trace them. Investigators are also examining whether more people were involved in the fraud and if other traders were similarly targeted.
The incident comes at a time when the Food and Drug Administration has intensified inspections across the state against adulterated food products, including milk, paneer, edible oil and other consumables. Police have urged traders to verify the identity of inspection teams and immediately report any suspicious activity to the authorities.
