Tirupati laddu row deepens: 70 L Kg ghee procured without quality checks
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Amaravati: The controversy surrounding the preparation of laddu prasadam at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has intensified after an inquiry found that over 70 lakh kilograms of ghee were procured and stored without mandatory quality testing.
The findings emerged from a report submitted by retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar, appointed by the Andhra Pradesh government to investigate the issue. The report points to serious lapses on the part of officials, stating that negligence in enforcing safety standards allowed adulterated substances to enter the laddu preparation process.
It further highlights irregularities under the previous administration, noting that safety inspections were ignored and laboratory reports indicating the presence of vegetable fats were allegedly suppressed. The report also indicates that key findings were buried and that errant firms were not blacklisted during the tendering process.
Although beta-sitosterol testing mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India from July 1, 2022, was initially considered for implementation, officials later dropped the requirement and granted relaxations to suppliers. This decision reportedly enabled the unchecked storage of massive quantities of ghee.
The latest revelations come against the backdrop of a similar scandal last year, when adulterated ghee was found to have been supplied for laddu preparation. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted following directions from the Supreme Court, had earlier uncovered that fake ghee worth ₹250.80 crore was supplied between 2019 and 2024.
The SIT investigation linked the supply chain to multiple firms, including Bole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited and its associates Vaishnavi Dairy Specialities Private Limited, Malganga Milk and Agro Products Private Limited, and A.R. Dairy Foods Private Limited, which were found to have played a role in distributing adulterated ghee.
The fresh report has raised serious concerns over regulatory oversight at one of the country’s most prominent religious institutions, with the scale of lapses pointing to systemic failures in ensuring the purity of prasadam consumed by thousands of devotees every day.