The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddu ghee adulteration case has uncovered a massive food fraud involving an Uttarakhand-based company that supplied nearly 60 lakh kilograms of adulterated ghee over a span of five years.
Investigators found that the firm, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, had been selling “ghee” made entirely from vegetable oils, palmolein, and synthetic chemicals—without using a drop of real milk or butter. The fake ghee, valued at over ₹250 crore, was allegedly used in preparing the world-famous Tirupati laddu prasadam, offered to millions of devotees at the temple.
The SIT revealed that even after being blacklisted in 2022, the company continued supplying adulterated ghee through proxy dairies in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, using forged documents and relabelled consignments. In one instance, rejected ghee stocks were secretly resupplied to TTD under different labels, further deepening the scandal.
The revelations have sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about quality control and transparency within TTD’s procurement system. The ruling alliance in Andhra Pradesh — comprising the TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP — had earlier alleged that beef tallow and other animal-based substances were being mixed in the ghee used for temple offerings.
With the case now under CBI and SIT investigation, several company officials are in custody, and TTD has been directed to strengthen its food testing and supply chain monitoring.
This incident, which touches both faith and food safety, has sent shockwaves across the nation — reminding everyone that even sacred offerings demand vigilance, integrity, and zero tolerance for corruption.
