Authorities in Maharashtra carried out a major enforcement action against a facility producing banned tobacco products, seizing a substantial stockpile and sealing the premises pending further investigations.
On 2 January 2026 at around 3:15pm, a special enforcement team from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a raid at the Soex India Pvt Ltd establishment in Takave village, Maval taluka, Pune district. The operation, ordered by Assistant Commissioner (Food) and led by unit head Yaduraj Dahatonde, uncovered a large-scale manufacturing and storage operation for flavoured hookah products that are prohibited in the state.
Officials reported that the consigned stock recovered from the site was valued at approximately INR 31,67,21,987. In total, enforcement officers seized 5,48,488 kilogrammes of material, including 116 types of finished products, 18 categories of raw ingredients and 18 different flavouring agents. Items recovered included labelled products marketed as “Afzal Authentic Flavoured Hookah”, along with glycerine, fructose, sugar syrup and various flavour compounds.
Laboratory analysis of samples collected on 1 December 2025 revealed the presence of nicotine, confirming that the goods were tobacco-based and illegal for manufacture and sale in Maharashtra. The FDA said the findings constituted breaches of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and a state notification issued by the Commissioner for Food Safety on 16 July 2025.
India FDA flavoured hookah raid
The raid concluded with the immediate sealing of the entire facility. FDA officers took custody of the keys and placed the establishment under administrative control while further technical and legal steps proceed. Following the enforcement action, the FDA registered serious offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian criminal code enacted in 2023) and the Food Safety and Standards Act against company directors Asif Fazlani and Faizal Fazlani, the assistant manager Anil Kumar Chauhan, and the company itself.
Local police also filed an FIR and made one arrest. The assistant manager, Anil Chauhan, was taken into custody and produced before the Maval court; he was remanded to police detention until 8 January 2026, according to Inspector Abhijit Deshmukh of the Wada Maval police station.
FDA officials described the production, storage and potential distribution of such banned tobacco products as a significant public health hazard. They affirmed that stringent action against prohibited substances will continue across the state, and that this case demonstrates coordinated regulatory oversight between food safety authorities and local law enforcement.
The incident underscores the regulators’ focus on preventing the manufacture and sale of nicotine-containing flavoured products that can appeal to young consumers. Investigations remain ongoing to trace distribution networks and identify any additional parties involved in the production and supply chain.
Key Takeaways:
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officers raided Soex India Pvt Ltd in Takave village, Maval, seizing banned hookah tobacco and related materials worth INR 31.67 crore.
- Laboratory tests from 1 December 2025 detected nicotine in samples, confirming violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and state notifications.
- India FDA flavoured hookah raid resulted in sealing of the facility, FIRs under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023) and Food Safety laws, and the arrest of the assistant manager.
- Officials said the action aims to protect public health and signals continued stringent enforcement across Maharashtra.
