A food safety officer has become a social media star in India - why?

Consumers have responded positively to that visibility, Agarwal says. Unlike in India's conventional system, where food safety cases and consumer complaints can take years to move through regulators and courts, enforcement actions are now playing out in public. The campaign has also made Mundhe a social media star - he now has more than 3.8 million followers on Instagram.However, even as consumers welcome the speed and visibility of his actions, many in the food industry are less enthusiastic.Restaurant associations allege the official has been bypassing a statutory process, while courts have termed some of his actions "high-handed".Under India's food safety laws, businesses are usually given time to fix violations before regulators suspend or cancel their licences. Regulators can suspend licences immediately only in urgent public health situations but must record their reasons."While compliance is non-negotiable, high-handed approaches - like public naming-and-shaming, instant suspensions over minor procedural or rectifiable issues and treating administrative oversights with harsh penal measures - create panic rather than reform," said Niranjan Laxman Shetty, legal chairman of hospitality association Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association.Responding to the criticism, Mundhe said his raids are lawful and that suspensions are only for extreme cases. However, some businesses have publicly claimed that they've been shut over minor violations, without warning or a chance to improve first.His actions have also faced legal challenges. In some cases, courts have overturned licence suspensions, ordered compensation for affected businesses and criticised the regulator's approach.