The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified its probe into the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddu adulterated ghee case, summoning former Executive Officer A. V. Dharma Reddy for detailed questioning that lasted nearly nine hours on November 11 . The former TTD Chairman and YSRCP MP Y. V. Subba Reddy has also been served notices and is expected to appear later this week. The ongoing investigation, led by the CBI-supervised SIT, centres on large-scale irregularities in ghee procurement used for preparing the sacred Tirumala laddu prasadam during the tenure of the previous TTD Board under the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
According to sources, the SIT confronted Dharma Reddy with evidence suggesting that over 68 lakh kg of adulterated ghee, valued at approximately Rs 250 crore, had been supplied to TTD between 2019 and 2024 by a nexus of dairies operating across Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. The prime accused are promoters of the Bhole Baba Dairy in Bhagwanpur, who, despite having no verifiable milk or butter production records, allegedly supplied synthetic ghee containing palm oil, chemical additives, and animal fats through proxy dairies such as Vyshnavi Dairy and A. R. Dairy.
SIT officials revealed that the adulteration continued even after TTD’s internal quality-control unit flagged inconsistencies in the ghee samples. Four tankers of rejected stock were reportedly re-labelled and re-routed through proxy suppliers, later being used in the preparation of the sacred laddus.
Reportedly, investigators questioned Dharma Reddy about alleged commissions , his failure to report anomalies to the state government, and whether political or higher-level pressures influenced procurement approvals.
The SIT is now examining the roles of multiple officials and suppliers. Notices have been sent to former TTD Chairman Y. V. Subba Reddy, who has sought additional time to appear. Meanwhile, the accused directors of Bhole Baba Dairy – Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain – were interrogated again on November 11, after having earlier secured bail. The SIT recently arrested Delhi-based trader Ajay Kumar Sugandh for supplying industrial chemicals allegedly used in the adulteration process.
Adding a moral and political dimension to the ongoing scandal, Jana Sena Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan took to social media platform X to express anguish over what he described as a “painful breach of trust” committed by the previous TTD administration.
He asserted that “the previous TTD Board’s colossal administrative failure and immoral actions caused deep, unforgivable hurt and shattered the sanctity of Tirumala.” Calling for complete transparency, he urged the current TTD Board to “restore the sanctity of Tirumala and regain the trust of millions of devotees.”
The previous TTD Board's colossal administrative failure and immoral actions caused deep, unforgivable hurt and shattered the sanctity of Tirumala; this painful breach of trust must serve as a profound lesson for the present TTD Board, which must continuously work and strive to…
— Pawan Kalyan (@PawanKalyan) November 11, 2025
Pawan Kalyan’s statement also carried a strong message to temple administrators: “For everyone managing and running TTD – from the Board, bureaucrats, EO and JEO, down to the employees, contractors and vendors – your role is not merely a designation or title, but a sacred opportunity to do divine service for millions of Sanatanis. I urge TTD to begin by ensuring total transparency in all activities – from financial statements, quality control and audits to property and donation management – making every detail publicly available.”
He further proposed that a Sanatana Dharma Parirakshana Board be constituted in uture, while stressing that the ultimate responsibility to protect Dharma lies with every Sanatani. “It is my sincere hope,” he said, “that someday all our temples across the country are managed by the community – by the devotees themselves – for that is our duty.”
