Massive Adulteration Scandal Rocks Tirumala Temple
In a shocking revelation that has shaken devotees across the country, a Special Investigation Team has uncovered that the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala received adulterated ghee worth a staggering Rs 250.80 crore between 2019 and 2024. The contaminated ghee was used in preparing the temple's famous laddu prasadam, considered sacred by millions of worshippers.
How the Adulteration Network Operated
The SIT, formed following Supreme Court directives, discovered that the adulterated ghee supply chain involved multiple companies operating under the umbrella of Harsh Fresh Dairy products or Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd. The investigation identified several subsidiary companies involved in the scheme:
- Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt Ltd
- Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd
- AR Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd
The actual adulteration process occurred at a manufacturing plant located in Bhagwanpur near Roorkee, Uttarakhand. According to SIT findings, the suppliers mixed minimal quantities of actual ghee with various adulterants including:
- Palm oil
- Palm kernel oil
- Palmolein
- Chemical additives including Beta-Carotene, Acetic Acid Ester, and artificial ghee flavor
Political Fallout and Arrests
The scandal first gained national attention when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made a startling revelation during an NDA meeting in Amaravati on September 18, 2024. The CM had then claimed that "Even the Tirumala laddu was made with substandard ingredients... They used animal fat instead of ghee."
However, the SIT investigation has clarified that the primary adulterants were plant-based rather than animal fat. The probe period from 2019 to 2023 coincides with the tenure of the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh.
Law enforcement has already taken action, arresting Bhole Baba Diary directors Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain in connection with the case. The investigation reveals that the adulteration was first detected in 2022 when then TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy sent samples for testing and confirmed the ghee was adulterated.
Despite this discovery, the SIT claims that Subba Reddy allowed the adulterated ghee supplies to continue until 2024, raising serious questions about administrative accountability.
Violation of Sacred Traditions
The revelation has caused widespread outrage among devotees, given the sacred nature of the laddu prasadam tradition that dates back to 1715 - over 300 years of continuous practice. The laddus are prepared in a special kitchen called Potu by traditional laddu makers who follow strict religious protocols.
These dedicated preparers shave their heads and wear single clean cloth garments while working in the sacred kitchen, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the process. The adulteration represents not just a food safety violation but a profound breach of religious trust.
Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, who is also CM Naidu's son, expressed the collective anger on social media platform X, stating: "The Supreme Court-appointed SIT has exposed the truth. The guilty will face full weight of law. This isn't adulteration — it is a deliberate assault on the faith of Hindus, a desecration of our belief, and a crime against the soul of Bharat."
The investigation continues as authorities work to identify all individuals involved in what is being described as one of the most significant religious food adulteration scandals in recent Indian history.
