Amravati: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over his remarks on the Tirumala adulterated laddoo-ghee scam, asserting that protections provided to minority communities should be applied equally to Hindus and must be upheld irrespective of religion or faith.
While speaking to reporters on December 10, the Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister said, “If the Hindu majority is a truth in this nation, then such instances will not happen in this country…One of the MPs’ comments, I feel, comes from a mindset shaped by appeasement politics…If certain provisions are applied to protect Muslim or Christian interests, then the same should apply to Hindus as well….”
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Tirumala adulterated ghee case took into custody two Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials on December 9.
According to officials, medical examinations related to the case are being conducted at Tirupati’s Ruia Hospital.
The two apprehended officials were identified as Sugandh and Subrahmanyam. The SIT stated it would interrogate them until December 12 as part of the ongoing probe.
Earlier, on November 28, the SIT, functioning under the supervision of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), arrested a senior official from the TTD engineering department in connection with the TTD laddu-ghee adulteration case, an SIT official said.
Guntur Range I G Sarvasresti Tripathi said that the arrested person, RSSVR Subrahmanyam, had previously served as the General Manager (Procurement) at TTD and was responsible for procuring key materials, including the ghee used to prepare laddus.
On September 26, the Supreme Court stayed the Andhra Pradesh High Court order, which observed that the CBI Director had violated the apex court’s directions by appointing an officer outside the SIT to probe allegations of adulterated ghee used in the preparation of the famed TTD laddu prasadam.
On June 6, TTD initiated legal action against multiple unauthorised entities found selling or promoting products under the “Tirupati Laddu” name in violation of its registered Geographical Indication (GI), TDP said in a press release.
Legal notices were served through Sahadeva Law Chambers to several online platforms and vendors, including PushMyCart (Mahita LLC) and Transact Foods Limited, for unauthorised commercial exploitation of the Tirupati Laddu name and falsely associating their offerings with the temple.
Earlier in February 2025, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested four individuals and sent them to judicial remand in connection with the adulteration of ghee used in the Tirumala Srivari Laddu, the agency reported finding “severe lapses” in the e-tendering process of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The CBI, acting on orders from the Supreme Court, had formed an SIT to investigate the matter. The remand report confirmed adulteration in the supplied ghee, and, according to the investigating agency, AR Dairy, Vaishnavi Dairy, and Bhole Baba Dairy were involved in the case. (With inputs from ANI)
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