Cockroach crashes doctor’s dinner at Mumbai's top hotel, he tags FDA chief: ‘In Tukaram Mundhe’s territory' | India News

A cardiologist having dinner at a prominent luxury five-star hotel in Mumbai spotted a baby cockroach near his plate on Saturday night. Dr Ashok Seth, chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute and the Fortis Healthcare Medical Council, shared a video of the insect and jokingly named it “Roachie”.“Look who came for dinner unexpectedly. ‘Roachie’ - a baby cockroach was on our table wanting to share our dinner at the Romano restaurant at JW Marriott, Sahar, Mumbai,” Seth wrote on X.He said the cockroach refused to leave despite attempts to move it. “Maybe wanted Pizza and not Pasta. But he really took our appetite away. We left,” he added.Seth tagged Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and JW Marriott. “Thankfully we are in Mr Munde’s territory and he most likely will look into this also,” he wrote.There has been no response from the hotel yet. Tukaram Mundhe's roleMundhe, who took charge as Maharashtra FDA commissioner in May, has led a food-safety enforcement drive across the state. His teams have conducted more than 3,000 inspections and raids covering restaurants, hotels, food manufacturers, street vendors and major food chains.The crackdown has reached several high-profile establishments. The FDA earlier suspended the licences of four Domino’s outlets in Maharashtra, including three in Mumbai, over alleged food-safety and hygiene violations. A Pizza Hut outlet was also among those facing licence suspension.The FDA has also acted against other major chains, including McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Burger King, Starbucks and Monginis.Among Mumbai’s iconic establishments, Cafe Mondegar in Colaba had its licence suspended after an inspection found deficiencies related to food-temperature control, thawing and cooling practices, drainage and equipment sanitation.The FDA has also taken action against Olympia Coffee House in Colaba and inspected food operations linked to the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai Cricket Association, ISKCON’s Govinda’s and IRCTC base kitchens.The enforcement drive has extended beyond restaurants. FDA teams have acted against food adulteration and unsafe production and inspected food operations at the Bombay High Court, where some unlicensed operations were shut during the action.Mundhe said the aim was not to shut businesses. He has said food safety needed to be balanced with livelihoods and has backed designated zones and better hygiene standards for street-food vendors.