‘Roachie’ crashes dinner at JW Marriott Mumbai: Cardiologist Dr Ashok Seth says he expects Tukaram Mundhe to act

A baby cockroach spotted on cardiologist Dr Ashok Seth’s dinner table at JW Marriott Mumbai prompted a sarcastic post on X, with the Fortis Healthcare chairman tagging Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe.

A dinner at JW Marriott Mumbai took an unexpected turn after prominent cardiologist and Fortis Healthcare chairman Dr Ashok Seth spotted a baby cockroach running across his table at the hotel’s Romano restaurant.

Dr Seth was dining at the five-star property in Sahar, Mumbai, on Saturday evening when he noticed the insect near the dishes. He shared the incident on X on Sunday, sarcastically referring to the unexpected guest as “Roachie”.

‘Roachie’ joins dinner

"Look who came for dinner unexpectedly. 'Roachie' - a baby cockroach was on our table wanting to share our dinner at the Romano restaurant at JW Marriott, Sahar, Mumbai, Saturday night!!!" he posted.

"Despite our persuasion, 'Roachie' refused to leave. Maybe wanted pizza and not pasta," he added.

The incident, however, was more than an amusing interruption for the diners. Dr Seth said the sight affected their appetite and they eventually left without finishing their meal.

“But he (the cockroach) really took our appetite away. We left.”

Dr Seth tags Tukaram Mundhe

The post also drew a response from Marriott Bonvoy Assist, which said: “Hello Dr. Ashok, thank you for letting us know. We take this matter seriously. We would like to look into it for you. Could you please DM us your first, last name, and your confirmation number?”

Dr Seth then tagged Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, adding another pointed reference to the state's ongoing food-safety enforcement drive.

"Thankfully we are in Mr Mundhe's territory and he most likely will look into this also," he wrote.

He tagged Mundhe, FSSAI and JW Marriott in his post.

Maharashtra FDA's food safety crackdown

The incident comes against the backdrop of an intensified food-safety enforcement drive in Maharashtra under FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The FDA conducted more than 12,000 inspections between June and August 2026, issued over 5,000 improvement notices and suspended 603 licences, according to data reported by Mid-day.

The campaign has included inspections of restaurants, hotels, food businesses and other establishments, with authorities flagging issues involving hygiene, food storage and pest control.

JW Marriott had not publicly responded to Dr Seth's post at the time of publication. The incident itself does not establish the cause of the cockroach's presence or indicate whether any regulatory violation occurred at the restaurant.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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