The Foodlink F&B Holdings (India) Private Limited case concluded after the Bombay High Court disposed of its writ petition as infructuous following the lifting of provisional attachment on 36 bank accounts. The company, led by Sanjay Vazirani, had challenged actions initiated by GST authorities during an ongoing investigation into financial transactions and compliance. With bank operations restored, the court closed interim proceedings, while broader issues related to GST scrutiny and regulatory compliance remain subject to separate adjudication processes.
- Foodlink F&B Holdings case explained: Bombay High Court disposes of the plea after bank accounts are unfrozen
- Investigation timeline, search operations and legal escalation
- Employee actions, summons and arrests during GST probe
- Special audit by Sagar Shah and dispute over ₹10.28 crore entries
- Court findings, bank account defreeze and final outcome
Foodlink F&B Holdings case explained: Bombay High Court disposes of the plea after bank accounts are unfrozen
The Bombay High Court has dismissed an interim application and disposed of Foodlink F&B Holdings’ (director: Sanjay Vazirani) writ petition as infructuous after provisional attachment on 36 bank accounts was lifted.
The Foodlink F&B Holdings (director: Sanjay Vazirani) case saw the Bombay High Court dispose of Writ Petition No. 3406 of 2024 and Interim Application No. 1695 of 2026 on March 4, 2026.
A division bench of Justice G. S. Kulkarni and Justice Aarti Sathe heard Foodlink F&B Holdings (India) Private Limited versus Union of India and multiple authorities and banking institutions.
The petitioner, Foodlink F&B Holdings (India) Private Limited, had challenged provisional attachment orders issued on February 27, 2024, affecting 36 bank accounts held with several banks.
Respondents included the Union of India, represented by the Ministry of Finance; the Commissioner of CGST & E, Navi Mumbai; the Superintendent of CGST & CE, Navi Mumbai; and multiple banking entities.
These banks included State Bank of India branches at Corporate Park, Sion-Trombay Road and Nebula Apartment, Andheri West, IDBI Bank Ltd, Deonar, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, Chembur.
Other respondents were The Cosmos Co-operative Bank Ltd, Vashi, HDFC Bank Ltd, Chembur branches (HDFC 0000425 and HDFC 0000013), and Yes Bank Ltd, New Link Road, Andheri West.
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Investigation timeline, search operations and legal escalation
Senior Advocate Vikram Nankani appeared with Senior Advocate Prakash Shah, Mihir Mehta and Vikas Poojary, instructed by PDS Legal, representing the petitioner before the court.
Karan Adik appeared with Megha Bajoria, Chirag Sawant and Sangeeta Yadav representing the respondents-State authorities during the proceedings.
According to court records, the investigation began on August 8, 2023, when teams from the Commissioner of CGST & E, Navi Mumbai, conducted searches at three of the petitioner’s premises.
A Panchanama was drawn, followed by submission of 49 bank account details on August 23, 2023, and further financial documents on August 24, August 29 and September 12.
Between September 15 and October 5, 2023, additional records were submitted, while on October 11, 2023, notices were issued to clients and investors under Section 70.
On October 20, 2023, the petitioner alleged defamatory reports published by Unmesh Gujarati on Sprouts and News Today 24×7.com, impacting its business reputation.
Subsequently, Suit (Lodging) No. 34269 of 2023 led to court orders dated December 19 and December 21, 2023, restraining publication beyond factual court reporting.
Employee actions, summons and arrests during GST probe
The case record details multiple summons and enforcement actions involving company personnel, including Mahesh Patil, Manoj Jain, Priya Gogate, Vijay Punjabi and Prateek Patel.
Mahesh Patil was taken into custody on December 11, 2023, and later granted bail on December 30, 2023, following proceedings before the Magistrate.
Manoj Jain, General Manager Finance, resigned on December 21, 2023 and later appeared before authorities, while Priya Gogate was summoned for questioning in January 2024.
Vijay Punjabi and Prateek Patel were also issued summons, while Prateek Patel was arrested from Ahmedabad on February 29, 2024, following search operations at his residence.
Additional summons were issued to Amit Jhaveri and Sanjay Manohar Vazirani, as authorities continued their investigation into financial transactions and alleged discrepancies in GST compliance.
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Special audit by Sagar Shah and dispute over ₹10.28 crore entries
The High Court had earlier directed a special audit under Section 66 of the CGST Act through Chartered Accountant Sagar Shah to examine inter-bank transactions.
Sagar Shah submitted reports on March 24, 2024 and April 26, 2024, indicating that out of ₹1,197 crore credits, ₹1,185.39 crore transactions were largely verified.
However, ₹10.28 crore transactions remained unverified, leading Foodlink F&B Holdings to file Interim Application No. 1695 of 2026 seeking a supplementary audit report.
Vikram Nankani argued that a further audit would ensure clarity and prevent prejudice in future proceedings, while assuring cooperation and submission of additional documents if required.
Karan Adik opposed the plea, stating that the audit was limited in scope, conducted for bank attachment purposes, and could not substitute for investigation or adjudication.
Court findings, bank account defreeze and final outcome
The bench observed that the special audit had already been completed under Section 66 of the CGST Act and did not warrant repeated or supplementary audit exercises.
It further noted that provisional attachment orders had been lifted and bank accounts were unfrozen through departmental emails dated February 10 and February 12, 2026.
Given these developments, the court held that the interim application lacked merit and dismissed Interim Application No. 1695 of 2026.
The writ petition itself was declared infructuous since the core issue of bank attachment no longer survived after accounts were restored to the petitioner.
For regulatory and business observers, the ruling highlights the limits of judicial intervention once administrative actions are reversed. Sprouts News notes the decision reinforces procedural closure in tax investigations.
The court clarified that no costs were imposed and concluded the proceedings, leaving broader GST liability issues to be addressed through statutory processes if required.
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Editorial Note:
This article is based on publicly available FIR records, court case references, and reports published by multiple media organisations. The information is presented in the context of ongoing investigations and public interest reporting. Sprouts News does not make any judicial determination regarding the individuals mentioned and does not intend to defame any person or organisation. Any individual seeking clarification or wishing to provide an official response may contact the editorial team with verifiable documentation. The information is presented for journalistic and informational purposes.
