Bombay HC says FSSAI Clearance Cannot Be Overridden by Customs Classification

Shivshakti Enterprises imported roasted arecanut splits which were tested by FSSAI and cleared through an NOC dated 10 April 2026. Despite this, Customs subjected the goods to further CRCL testing, seized them and made provisional release conditional upon a ₹40 lakh bank guarantee. 

Bombay HC, following NBG International, held that once the competent food-safety authority had conclusively found the goods compliant, there was no sound basis for Customs to create a further window for reclassification and insist on such security.