Delhi Dhaba Hygiene Exposed, Food Safety Violations & Record Jio IPO

UPDATED: Oct 23, 2026 20:57 ISTAn India Today Spot Check investigation uncovers severe food safety and hygiene violations across eateries in Delhi's Paharganj and areas surrounding the New Delhi Railway Station. The report follows an enforcement drive by Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

Undercover footage at establishments including Punjabi Dhaba 7876, Royal Flavors, and Madras Hotel reveals widespread non-compliance, with staff operating without hair nets or gloves, pest and rat infestations, and food preparation taking place directly adjacent to open, dirty drains. Staff and management acknowledge bribing officials and treating regulatory inspections as routine formalities, relying on mere licenses rather than maintaining cleanliness.

The broadcast also highlights Reliance Industries' record-breaking milestone as Jio Platforms launches India's largest-ever initial public offering of 30,213 crore rupees, marking a massive digital expansion nearly five decades after Dhirubhai Ambani took the parent company public. Read MoreVIDEOS FROM OTHER SECTIONSLATEST VIDEOSBJP Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Foreign Visits, George Soros Links; Congress Fires BackThe Bharatiya Janata Party has mounted a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, scrutinising his overseas travels, leadership record, and alleged associations with foreign networks, including organisations linked to George Soros.

Highlighting Congress electoral tallies, BJP leaders accused Gandhi of meeting suspicious figures abroad before returning to target Indian institutions, citing his interactions with US lawmakers and references from Barack Obama's memoir. The ruling party questioned Gandhi's political planning and alleged connections with entities funded by the Open Society Foundation, such as Hindus for Human Rights.

In response, the Congress party rejected the allegations, arguing that the BJP is obsessed with the Leader of Opposition and uses personal foreign visits to divert attention from pressing public problems, including middle-class concerns and issues in Manipur. The Congress defended Gandhi's private visits and engagements with students and intellectuals, demanding to know whether similar scrutiny is applied to the Prime Minister's travels.Open Sewers, Rats, Bribes: India Today Spot Check Exposes Delhi DhabasAn India Today Spot Check investigation led by Nitin Jain inspects popular food establishments in Delhi following Maharashtra FDA's food safety crackdown.

The team visited two outlets in Paharganj: Punjabi Dhaba 7876 and Royal Flavors. At Punjabi Dhaba 7876, staff were observed preparing food without hairnets or required medical checks.

A manager admitted on camera that safety rules are secondary, claiming inspections are managed through bribes, and suggested sourcing prohibited meat. At Royal Flavors, workers prepped food directly adjacent to an open sewer being cleaned, with management brushing off the presence of rats as inevitable.

The report highlights severe non-compliance with basic food safety and hygiene regulations in the national capital.Open Drains, Pests & Zero Checks: Unhygienic Food Exposed At New Delhi StationAn India Today undercover investigation by the Special Investigation Team reveals alarming hygiene violations at food eateries operating around New Delhi Railway Station. Food was observed being cooked in open spaces directly alongside filthy drains, while staff operated without essential hygiene gear such as gloves and hair nets.

At Madras Hotel, a manager admitted to the lack of safety gear and noted that food safety officials do not conduct checks once an eatery secures a license, claiming pest control is handled informally in-house. Despite visible violations in narrow lanes, food operators downplayed concerns, claiming authorities do not object, leaving thousands of daily passengers at risk without regulatory oversight.Jio Platforms IPO Creates History: Record Bids Exceed ₹7 Lakh Crore Ahead of 28 October ListingReliance Industries has reached a historic milestone as Jio Platforms is set to debut as India's biggest-ever initial public offering.

The 30,213 crore rupee issue was fully subscribed within 100 minutes of opening and closed subscribed 20 times, attracting total bids exceeding seven lakh crore rupees. The anchor book earlier drew global bids worth over 2.5 lakh crore rupees from prominent investors including BlackRock and ADIA.

Existing marquee investors like Meta and KKR are not cashing out, with the IPO structured purely as a fresh issue of shares. Scheduled to list on 28 October, the digital flagship is expanding beyond telecom into artificial intelligence, cloud, satellite connectivity, and enterprise solutions.