Tirupati laddu controversy: SIT arrest 4 in sacred ghee adulteration case

Tirupati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court, has arrested four individuals in connection with the alleged adulteration of the sacred laddu from the Tirumala temple.

The arrested persons are from various organisations that supplied ghee, including AR Dairy (Tamil Nadu), Parag Dairy (Uttar Pradesh), Premier Agri Foods, and Alpha Milk Foods. 

The individuals taken into custody are Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, the CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam), and Raju Rajasekharan, Managing Director of AR Dairy (Dundigal). 

Interrogation and investigation

The accused were interrogated for three days in Tirupati but were reportedly uncooperative despite primary evidence pointing to their involvement. The SIT conducted inspections at several locations, including Tirumala, Tirupati, and the AR Dairy facility in Tamil Nadu.

 AR Dairy found guilty of irregularities

AR Dairy, which had a contract with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), has been found guilty of multiple irregularities. The investigation revealed that representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy had secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy for ghee supply. They fabricated false documents and seals, using the AR Dairy name to manipulate the tender process.

Furthermore, fake records were created by Vaishnavi Dairy, claiming to have sourced ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee. However, authorities found that Bhole Baba Dairy did not have the capacity to supply such large quantities of ghee.

Role of the Special Investigation Team (SIT)

The SIT is comprised of several prominent officials, including Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Hyderabad Division Joint Director Viresh Prabhu, Visakha CBI SP Muraliramba, DIG Gopinath Jetty, IG Sarvashrestha Tripathi, and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) officer Satyakumar Panda.

Chief Minister's allegations

The issue first gained attention when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed on 18 September 2024 that the ghee used in the preparation of the Tirupati laddu during the YSR Congress Party rule was adulterated with animal fat. His allegations triggered outrage among devotees of the famous temple, leading to the formation of the SIT to investigate the claims.

Later, the Supreme Court replaced the initial SIT with a team that included both central and state officials to probe the matter further.

The role of AR Dairy and the tender process

Officials confirmed that TTD uses approximately 15,000 kg of cow ghee daily for the preparation of the Tirumala laddus. AR Dairy, based in Tamil Nadu, had secured a tender to supply ghee at a rate of Rs. 320 per kg. On 8 July 2024, eight tankers of ghee arrived, with four of them being sent for testing at labs. 

Lab reports confirm adulteration

On 17 July 2024, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) lab reports confirmed the adulteration of the ghee with impure substances, solidifying the allegations against the dairy suppliers. 

IANS