India, Aug. 25 -- The Karnataka government has directed authorities to suspend, until further orders, the food licences of e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and Bigbasket over the online sale and distribution of Dhatura fruits/seeds, citing public health and food safety concerns.

The government also ordered the immediate suspension of the licences/registrations of establishments and sellers supplying products to the three online platforms. It directed all concerned food business operators to remove listings, advertisements, and promotional material relating to Dhatura ('thorn apple' in English) intended for food or human consumption.

"In accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Rules/...