After Tukaram Mundhe, ‘Lady Singham’ Roshan Jacob leads UP’s 2,075-raid food crackdown

IAS officer Dr Roshan Jacob, often compared with Maharashtra’s no-nonsense bureaucrat Tukaram Mundhe, is leading an aggressive crackdown on food adulteration in Uttar Pradesh.

As Commissioner of the Food Safety and Drug Administration, Jacob has overseen a statewide enforcement campaign targeting adulterated milk, paneer, ghee, edible oils and other food products. Her strict, hands-on approach, including inspections, raids and action against violators, has earned her the nickname ‘Lady Singham’.

RAIDS: Inside Roshan Jacob’s statewide crackdown

The scale of the operation has been significant. Food-safety teams conducted 3,537 inspections and 2,075 raids, collecting 2,965 samples for laboratory testing. Authorities seized food products worth Rs 11.66 crore and destroyed unsafe food valued at Rs 63.17 lakh. Six FIRs were also registered against alleged offenders.

Dairy products emerged as the biggest focus. Officials carried out 572 raids, seizing 1,876.66 quintals of milk and dairy products worth Rs 10.66 crore. Adulterated dairy products worth Rs 30.44 lakh were destroyed.

The crackdown also extended to packaged drinking water. Authorities suspended 41 licences, sealed 57 manufacturing units and halted production at 37 facilities following quality violations. Unsafe or substandard edible oil and ghee products were also targeted.

Recent inspections reportedly detected substances including detergents, refined oils, talcum powder, titanium dioxide and hydrogen peroxide in some dairy manufacturing operations. Jacob has ordered that contaminated products be seized and destroyed, while establishments using harmful adulterants could face closure, licence suspension, and criminal cases.

The campaign has also included cases involving alleged fake paneer, adulterated milk and ghee, illegal dairy operations and prohibited substances. The department is reportedly considering publicly displaying the names and photographs of food adulterators, adding another layer of accountability.

Jacob’s tough enforcement style has made her one of Uttar Pradesh’s most visible officials in the fight against food adulteration, strengthening the ‘Lady Singham’ tag associated with her no-nonsense approach. 

From district administration to food safety

Jacob is a 2004-batch IAS officer who has served in several Uttar Pradesh districts, including Basti, Gonda, Kanpur Nagar, Rae Bareli and Bulandshahr.

She became the first woman director of UP’s mining department and later served as Lucknow’s divisional commissioner. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was closely involved in managing Lucknow’s response to the second wave, further building her reputation as a hands-on officer.

Born in Kerala, Jacob holds postgraduate and doctoral degrees in English. Her years in district administration, mining and crisis management have shaped the firm, field-based approach she now brings to UP’s food-safety crackdown.