A shocking food fraud scandal has surfaced, revealing how a dairy firm from Uttarakhand allegedly supplied fake ghee worth ₹250 crore to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust that manages the world-famous Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. The adulterated ghee, supplied between 2019 and 2024, was allegedly used in the preparation of the sacred Tirupati Laddu, one of India’s most revered temple offerings.

The revelations came to light through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as reported by The Times of India.

The Shocking Discovery

The investigation found that Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, based in Uttarakhand, supplied 6.8 million kg of ghee to TTD — despite the shocking fact that the firm never procured milk or butter from any source.

The entire operation was allegedly built on forged documents and fake production records, giving the illusion of legitimate dairy manufacturing. The dairy, operated by Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, is accused of running a fake desi ghee production unit to disguise adulterated products as pure ghee.

The case took a serious turn after the arrest of one supplier, Ajay Kumar Sugandh, who allegedly provided chemicals such as monodiglycerides and acetic acid ester to Bhole Baba Organic Dairy — substances often used in food adulteration.

Blacklisted but Still Supplying Ghee

Despite being blacklisted by TTD in 2022, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy allegedly continued to supply adulterated ghee to the temple trust by routing it through other dairy firms to avoid detection.

The names reportedly used as fronts include:

• Vyshnavi Dairy (Tirupati)
• 
  
• AR Dairy Foods (Tamil Nadu)

Ghee Adulterated With Animal Fat

The SIT probe uncovered disturbing details about the nature of adulteration. Four tankers of ghee supplied by AR Dairy in July 2023 were found contaminated with animal fat and rejected by TTD.

Instead of being returned or destroyed, these tankers were allegedly diverted by Bhole Baba Dairy to Vyshnavi Dairy. Investigators found:

• The tankers never reached the AR Dairy plant
• They were taken to a stone-crushing unit near Vyshnavi Dairy
• Labels were replaced
• The ghee was “reprocessed” to improve appearance

Vyshnavi Dairy allegedly sent the same rejected batch back to TTD in August 2024, falsely claiming it was freshly produced. The reprocessed ghee was later used in making the sacred Tirupati Laddu prasadam, consumed by millions of devotees.

The 2024 Laddu Controversy

In September 2024, the issue exploded into a major political and public controversy.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that the previous government had allowed adulterated ingredients to be used in the sacred laddus. Media reports indicated that the laddus may have contained:

• Beef tallow
• Fish oil
• Pig lard

A laboratory analysis by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) confirmed the presence of foreign fats in samples, triggering widespread concern among devotees nationwide.

TTD officials, however, stated that ghee which failed quality checks had been removed before being used for laddu preparation.

A Breach of Faith and Food Safety

The Tirupati Laddu is not just a prasadam — it is a symbol of faith, purity, and devotion. The alleged adulteration scandal has raised serious questions about:

• Food safety in religious offerings
• Quality control processes at TTD
• Accountability of suppliers and involved officials

Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are expected as the SIT continues to trace the network behind the scam.