FDA orders temporary closure of Mumbai restaurant Papa Pancho

Maharashtra's FDA has ordered Papa Pancho da Dhaba restaurant to close until it submits compliance reports after a customer found a rat in their dish.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered the well-known Bandra restaurant, Papa Pancho da Dhaba, to remain closed until it submits all required compliance reports to the department, people familiar with the matter said.

The restaurant, known for its Punjabi fare for over two decades, landed in a major controversy after a customer posted photographs of a small rat that was allegedly in the dish (HT Photo/Vijay Bate)

The restaurant, known for its Punjabi fare for over two decades, landed in a major controversy after a customer posted photographs of a small rat that was allegedly in the dish served by the restaurant on Sunday night. The manager and two cooks of the restaurant were arrested on Tuesday.

Shailesh Adhao, FDA joint commissioner (Food), said the restaurant’s operations will remain suspended.

“Upon inspecting Papa Pancho da Dhaba, we identified multiple instances of non-compliance, ranging from absent water analysis and food safety reports to incomplete staff medical records. The restaurant’s operations will remain suspended until these issues are rectified, and a thorough compliance report is submitted by the management,” he said.

Adhao added that the FDA has started a special drive in the city where the FDA team will check compliance with regulations by other eateries.

“Our food safety inspectors (FSOs) have started visiting restaurants and eateries in the city since yesterday to check for compliances laid under the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006.

Anurag Singh, a bank executive based in Goregaon, took to social media and filed a police complaint after discovering a baby rat in his chicken dish while dining.