The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 54 boxes of Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli weighing 11.34 kg from a Reliance Retail outlet in Buldhana after receiving a consumer complaint alleging fungal growth and live larvae in the packaged sweet.
The action was taken during an FDA inspection of a Reliance Retail outlet at ARD Cinemall, Buldhana, on August 8, 2026. Officials were specifically looking for the batch identified in the consumer complaint. However, that batch was not available at the outlet when the inspection was carried out.
Instead, officials found another batch of the same Kaju Katli, collected samples for laboratory testing and seized the available stock as a precautionary measure.
The approximate value of the seized products is ₹10,238.
Importantly, the FDA has not publicly confirmed that live larvae or fungal contamination were found in the batch seized during the inspection. The sample has been sent to an authorised food laboratory, and further regulatory action will depend on the test results.
Consumer Complaint Triggered FDA Inspection
The case began with a consumer complaint concerning Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli sold through the Reliance Retail outlet.
According to reports, the complaint alleged that the packaged sweet contained live larvae and showed signs of fungal growth.
Following the complaint, Maharashtra FDA officials conducted an inspection at the Reliance Retail outlet located at ARD Cinemall in Buldhana on August 8.
The inspection was aimed at verifying the complaint and checking the availability and condition of the relevant product batch.
The Batch Named in the Complaint Was Missing
One of the most important details emerging from the inspection is that the exact batch mentioned in the complaint was not available at the outlet.
The complained-about batch was identified as:
Batch number: SL-04
Manufacturing date: May 29, 2026
Expiry date: August 29, 2026
When FDA officials inspected the premises on August 8, they could not find this particular batch.
This means that the FDA's inspection did not result in the seizure of the exact batch cited in the consumer complaint.
Instead, officials proceeded to examine another batch of the same product that was available at the store.
FDA Finds Another Batch of Kaju Katli
The officials found Batch SL-09 of Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli at the outlet.
The batch details were:
Batch number: SL-09
Manufacturing date: July 20, 2026
Expiry date: October 20, 2026
The FDA collected a sample from this batch and sent it to an authorised food laboratory for analysis.
The authorities also seized the available stock as a precaution while the laboratory examination is underway.
54 Boxes and 11.34 Kg of Product Seized
The Maharashtra FDA seized:
54 boxes of Kaju Katli
with a combined weight of:
11.34 kg
The estimated value of the seized stock was approximately:
₹10,238.
The seizure is being treated as part of the regulatory investigation, with the laboratory report expected to determine whether the sampled product complies with applicable food-safety requirements.
FDA Has Not Yet Confirmed Fungus or Larvae in the Seized Batch
This distinction is critical.
While the consumer complaint alleged fungal growth and live larvae, available reports do not state that FDA officials themselves found live larvae or fungal contamination in the SL-09 batch seized during the August 8 inspection.
The regulator has instead collected a sample and sent it for laboratory analysis.
Therefore, it would be premature to state that the seized Kaju Katli was scientifically confirmed to be contaminated.
At this stage, the sequence is:
Consumer complaint → FDA inspection → complained-about batch unavailable → another batch found → sample collected → 54 boxes seized → laboratory testing → further regulatory action.
The laboratory report will be the key piece of evidence in determining what happens next.
Reliance Retail Licence Has Not Been Reported as Suspended
Despite some reports linking the action to a wider Maharashtra food-safety crackdown, there is currently no credible report that the Reliance Retail outlet's food licence has been suspended in connection with this Kaju Katli case.
The reported regulatory action so far involves:
Inspection of the outlet
Seizure of 54 boxes
Collection of a product sample
Laboratory testing
Possible further proceedings depending on the test results
The situation is therefore different from the separate Blinkit Malad case, where the Maharashtra FDA has suspended the food licence of a Blink Commerce facility following serious hygiene violations.
The Reliance Retail case should not be described as a licence suspension or outlet shutdown unless the FDA subsequently issues such an order.
What Will the Laboratory Report Determine?
The laboratory analysis is now central to the case.
The available reports do not disclose the exact testing parameters or the eventual laboratory findings.
Depending on the nature of the sample and applicable standards, the analysis could help determine whether the product has any relevant microbiological, quality or other food-safety violations.
Until the report is released, there is no basis to conclusively state that the product was contaminated.
If the laboratory finds that the product does not comply with food-safety standards, the Maharashtra FDA could initiate further proceedings under the applicable provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related regulations.
Questions Remain Over the Missing Complaint Batch
The absence of Batch SL-04, the batch identified in the consumer complaint, leaves an important unanswered question.
The batch was manufactured on May 29 and had an expiry date of August 29, meaning it was still within its stated shelf life when the FDA inspection took place on August 8.
Why was it no longer available at the outlet?
The current public reports do not establish whether the batch had:
sold out;
been withdrawn;
been removed from the shelves;
been returned to the supplier;
been discarded; or
been moved to another location.
The FDA's inspection record or subsequent investigation could provide clarity on what happened to the complained-about batch.
It is also not publicly clear whether the consumer retained the original product allegedly containing the larvae or whether that specific product was made available to the regulator for examination.
Reliance Retail Yet to Respond
As of the latest available reporting, Reliance Retail had not immediately provided a public response to media queries concerning the FDA action.
A response from the retailer or the manufacturer could help clarify the product's storage conditions, distribution chain, batch movement and any internal quality-control measures initiated after the complaint.
Who Manufactured the Kaju Katli?
The product involved has been identified in reports as Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli.
However, the currently available reports do not provide sufficient verified information to establish the manufacturer's full corporate identity, manufacturing address or FSSAI licence number.
Those details should ideally be taken directly from the product packaging, FDA seizure documentation or the regulator's inspection records rather than inferred from the brand name.
Part of a Wider Maharashtra Food-Safety Enforcement Drive
The Buldhana action comes amid increased food-safety enforcement in Maharashtra.
The state FDA has recently intensified inspections and regulatory action involving food businesses, retailers and quick-commerce facilities.
The most prominent recent case is the suspension of the food licence of a Blink Commerce-operated Blinkit facility in Malad West, Mumbai, where inspectors reportedly found extensive cockroach infestation, poor food storage, expired and damaged products, inadequate pest control and other hygiene deficiencies.
The two cases, however, should be treated separately.
In the Blinkit case, the regulator has taken licence-suspension action.
In the Reliance Retail case, the regulator has seized a specific food product and is awaiting laboratory results.
Why the Case Matters
The incident highlights the role consumer complaints can play in triggering food-safety enforcement.
Packaged sweets such as Kaju Katli are often sold through supermarkets, modern retail chains and online grocery platforms, making proper manufacturing, storage, transportation and shelf-life management critical.
It also underlines why a consumer complaint should not automatically be treated as proof of contamination.
The regulatory process requires the allegation to be investigated and, where appropriate, supported by inspection findings and laboratory analysis.
That is precisely where the Buldhana case currently stands.
The next major development will be the laboratory report on Batch SL-09.
If the sample passes the required food-safety standards, the FDA's next steps could differ from a situation in which the laboratory identifies a violation.
If the sample is found to be unsafe, substandard or otherwise non-compliant, further regulatory proceedings could follow against the relevant food business operators.
The regulator may also need to establish whether the issue, if confirmed, was limited to one batch or reflects a wider problem involving the product's manufacturing, distribution or storage.
For now, the investigation remains open.
The Bottom Line
The Maharashtra FDA has seized 54 boxes, or 11.34 kg, of Laxmi Narayan Kaju Katli worth approximately ₹10,238 from a Reliance Retail outlet at ARD Cinemall in Buldhana following a consumer complaint alleging fungal growth and live larvae.
The batch named in the complaint, SL-04, was not available when FDA officials inspected the outlet on August 8. Officials instead found Batch SL-09, collected a sample and seized the available stock pending laboratory analysis.
There is currently no confirmed laboratory finding that the seized Kaju Katli contained fungus or larvae, and there is no reported suspension of the Reliance Retail outlet's food licence.
The laboratory report—and any subsequent FDA order—will determine whether the case develops into a larger food-safety enforcement action.
Indian Food Times will continue to track the laboratory findings and any further action by the Maharashtra FDA or response from Reliance Retail.