Devotees Shocked As Tirumala Laddu Scam Unfolds, Fraudulent Ghee Suppliers Exposed

In a major breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken four suppliers into custody for their alleged involvement in the ghee adulteration scandal at Tirumala. Those arrested include Rajasekharan, the Managing Director of AR Dairy; Vipin Jain and Pinole Jain, Directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy; and Apoorva Chawda, CEO of Sri Vaishnavi Dairy Private Limited.

Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Private Limited, which was banned in 2022 due to substandard manufacturing practices, found a way to continue supplying ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) by using Vaishnavi Dairy and AR Dairy as fronts.

Since 2019, Bhole Baba Dairy has been providing ghee to TTD at a rate of ₹291 per kg. However, a 2022 inspection revealed serious lapses in its production processes, leading to the company being blacklisted from future contracts. Instead of exiting the market, the firm allegedly circumvented the ban by operating through proxy suppliers to maintain its business ties with the temple trust.

Vaishnavi Dairy secured a supply contract in 2020, while AR Dairy won another in March 2024 using allegedly forged documents. According to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report submitted to a local court, Bhole Baba Dairy played a key role in helping these companies obtain contracts by falsifying food safety certifications to meet the eligibility criteria.

Under the terms of its agreement, AR Dairy was required to supply Agmark-certified ghee. However, the report alleges that the company did not produce the ghee itself. Instead, it procured the product from Vaishnavi Dairy, which in turn sourced it from Bhole Baba Dairy-despite the latter being blacklisted. This not only breached the contract but also raised serious concerns about the quality of the ghee, which was reportedly adulterated.

The entire scheme revolved around fabricating food safety certifications to secure contracts fraudulently. Although the suppliers were obligated to provide genuine Agmark-certified ghee, the SIT report suggests that they delivered adulterated products to the temple, putting the sanctity of the prasadam at risk.

The controversy began on September 25, 2024, when a complaint was lodged, claiming that adulterated ghee was used to make Tirumala laddus. In response, the Supreme Court intervened the following month, ordering a thorough investigation. A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under the CBI Director to look into the allegations.

The SIT comprised five officials: two representatives from the CBI, two from the Andhra Pradesh government, and one from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

With religious sentiments at stake, the TTD is facing growing pressure to restore public trust and implement stricter purchasing policies.