Karnataka has suspended the food-business licences of BigBasket, Swiggy Instamart and Amazon after toxic datura fruits and seeds were found being offered online as food products or for human consumption. The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration ordered the suspensions on August 24, 2026, and said they would remain in force until further orders. The regulator has also directed the platforms to remove datura-related food listings and advertisements and stop selling or distributing the plant for human consumption. The action is significant because it does not target only individual sellers. It also puts the regulatory responsibility of major e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms under scrutiny.

BigBasket and Instamart Licence Suspension: What Karnataka Ordered

The order followed an inquiry by the state food-safety authorities. Officials said datura fruit and seeds had been found displayed for sale through online platforms, in some cases using FSSAI licence or registration numbers despite their toxic nature. Products had also reportedly been stored in warehouses and offered for sale or distribution. K Srinivas, Commissioner of the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration, ordered the platforms to immediately remove listings, advertisements and promotional material presenting datura for food or human consumption. The companies must also submit compliance reports describing the action they have taken. The Karnataka Food Safety Department, as the authority is often shortened in reports, said the suspension would continue until further orders.

Why Datura Fruit Triggered Such Strong Action

Datura, sometimes spelled dhatura, is a poisonous plant. The Karnataka regulator said its fruits and seeds can pose serious risks to human health and therefore cannot be stored, sold or distributed as food. That distinction matters because datura does have non-food uses, including in some religious practices. The issue before the regulator was not simply that datura fruit existed on an online marketplace. It was that fruits or seeds were allegedly being listed, stored or supplied under food-business licences or in a manner connected with human consumption. Indian Express checked the platforms on August 25 and found no datura products on Swiggy Instamart or Amazon Fresh. BigBasket showed a sold-out listing for datura described as being “for pooja.” That makes precise labelling particularly important.

Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket Had Already Faced a Hearing

The original version of the story said the companies had not responded publicly. More detail has now emerged. Representatives of the three businesses appeared before the adjudicating authority during proceedings on August 24. According to the regulatory order reported by Indian Express, Amazon had not submitted a response to the earlier notice.

Instamart requested additional time to provide documents explaining what corrective measures it had taken.

BigBasket told officials it had stopped selling datura fruit online, modified its process and intended to ensure such products were clearly labelled “Not for human consumption.”

The authority was not satisfied with the responses, citing the potential danger posed by datura fruits and seeds. It then moved ahead with the licence suspension.

Why Platforms Can Be Held Responsible for Third-Party Listings

One question likely to arise is why regulators acted against BigBasket or Instamart instead of only against whoever supplied the plant. FSSAI rules do not treat online platforms as completely detached notice boards when they facilitate food transactions. Its e-commerce guidelines require food-business platforms to hold licences where applicable and set responsibilities involving sellers, manufacturers and brand owners using their services. That means a platform can have its own food-safety compliance obligations even when a particular product originates with an outside seller. The Karnataka case puts that principle into practice.

Can BigBasket and Instamart Get Their Licences Back?

Yes, but not simply by deleting the product listing. The suspension is temporary and “until further orders,” rather than a permanent cancellation. The department has asked the affected businesses to provide compliance reports. After those reports are received, the question of lifting the suspension will be considered separately, and the companies will be given an opportunity to be heard before another order is passed. For BigBasket and Instamart, therefore, removing datura is the first step rather than the final one. They will need to satisfy the regulator that adequate corrective measures are in place. The same applies to the Amazon food licence affected by the Karnataka action.

What Happens Next?

For now, the affected food licences remain suspended. Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket have been told to remove prohibited food-use listings, provide compliance reports and ensure datura is not sold or promoted for human consumption in future. Suppliers and sellers linked to the products also face licence or registration action. The next significant development will be whether the regulator accepts the companies' corrective measures and restores their licences after a hearing. Until then, this is more than a product takedown.

It is a test of how aggressively the Karnataka Food Safety Department is prepared to enforce food-safety responsibilities when the shop counter is an app rather than a physical grocery store.