Bombay High Court asks Thane restaurant to approach Food Safety Commissioner over licence suspension

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) directed Thane-based Udupi Swaad Restaurant to first approach the Commissioner of Food Safety against the suspension of its food licence over allegations that it served non-dairy analogue paneer as regular paneer.

A Bench of Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna observed that where a statutory appellate remedy was available, the restaurant should first avail it before approaching the High Court.

The restaurant had challenged action taken by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), contending that its licence had been suspended without first issuing an improvement notice under the Food Safety and Standards Act and without a reasoned suspension order.

The case stems from an FDA inspection of the Udupi Swaad Restaurant in Thane. Food safety officers collected a sample of loose paneer for laboratory analysis.