Tirupati: In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four individuals in connection with the supply of adulterated cow ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for the preparation of the sacred Tirupati Laddu Prasadam. The arrests come as part of a larger probe into the controversial adulteration scandal that rocked the revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
The individuals arrested include Raju Rajasekharan, Managing Director of AR Dairy; Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand); and Apoorva Chawda, CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam). The CBI’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed in November last year, unearthed serious violations in the ghee supply chain, revealing multiple irregularities at every stage of procurement and distribution.
How the Scam Was Uncovered
TTD, which uses 15,000 kg of cow ghee daily for making the renowned Tirumala laddus, had awarded the supply contract to AR Foods at Rs. 320 per kg. On July 8, 2024, eight tankers of ghee arrived, and samples from four tankers were sent to National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Labs for testing. On July 17, lab reports confirmed the presence of impure and adulterated substances in the ghee, triggering widespread public outrage.
The issue further escalated in September 2024, when reports emerged that the ghee used in making the laddus contained lard, beef tallow, and fish oil. A lab test from Gujarat revealed these shocking adulterations, sparking nationwide protests. Hindus across the world, for whom the Tirupati laddu is a sacred offering, condemned the act as a severe violation of religious sentiments.
Nationwide Backlash and Political Fallout
Following the exposure of the adulteration, the TTD administration faced massive backlash. The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, swiftly responded by replacing the existing TTD board with devout Hindu members from all four southern states to restore faith in the institution. The government also asked 18 non-Hindu employees of TTD to either seek transfers to other departments or resign, further reinforcing its commitment to preserving the temple’s sanctity.
The scandal also led to intense political slugfests, with Chandrababu Naidu accusing the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government of facilitating non-Hindu appointments in TTD, thereby allowing such mismanagement to occur. The allegations were substantiated by findings from the SIT, which indicated that the tender process for ghee supply was manipulated under the previous administration.
The CBI’s SIT conducted extensive investigations across Tirumala, Tirupati, and AR Dairy’s facility in Tamil Nadu. The probe revealed that:
Representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy for ghee supply.
Fake records were created by Vaishnavi Dairy, falsely claiming to have sourced ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee.
Vaishnavi Dairy fabricated documents and seals, using AR Dairy’s name to manipulate the tendering process.
AR Dairy was directly involved in multiple irregularities, confirming the fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to TTD.
The SIT’s findings vindicated Chandrababu Naidu’s earlier claims that non-Hindu appointees and lack of oversight in the previous regime had compromised the temple administration. The case has now taken a legal turn, with multiple FIRs filed and legal proceedings underway.
Religious and Spiritual Repercussions
Given the deep spiritual significance of the Tirupati laddu, the revelation of animal fat in the Prasadam was perceived as a severe sacrilege. To atone for the contamination, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan undertook an 11-day ‘Prayashchitta Diksha’ (penance), seeking forgiveness for the temple’s defilement. TTD also performed a Shanti Homam to cleanse the temple premises and restore divine purity.
Pawan Kalyan has since proposed the establishment of a ‘Dharma Rakshana Board’, modeled after the Waqf Board, to manage temple properties and ensure temple administration adheres to Agama traditions. The move has received widespread support from Hindu religious groups and temple devotees, who argue that stronger oversight is essential to prevent such incidents in the future.
Supreme Court’s Intervention
Amid rising tensions, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the case and ordered an independent probe. A five-member CBI SIT was constituted in November 2024, comprising:
- Two senior CBI officers
- Two officials from Andhra Pradesh Police
- One expert from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
The Supreme Court emphasised the need for stricter regulations on food safety standards in religious institutions and directed authorities to establish mechanisms that prevent similar lapses in the future.
With the arrest of key figures involved in the ghee adulteration scam, the CBI is expected to file a detailed charge sheet soon. Meanwhile, the AP government has vowed stricter measures to ensure transparency in temple operations, particularly in procurement and food safety standards.
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