Tirumala: TTD Ghee Scandal Expands: 11 More Named in Probe
The investigation into the alleged adulteration of ghee for Tirumala’s sacred laddus has intensified, with the CBI-supervised Special Investigation Team filing a memo in Nellore’s ACB court on November 28. This update adds 11 new individuals as accused, elevating the total to 35 in a controversy that erupted in September 2024 over tainted supplies used in prasadam preparation.
National Dairy Development Board tests exposed foreign fats in the ghee, prompting Supreme Court oversight of the SIT’s efforts. The probe has uncovered procurement irregularities from 2019 to 2024, involving substandard materials worth over Rs 250 crore slipping into TTD’s operations.
Latest Additions: Staff and Specialists Under Fire
The fresh list features seven TTD procurement employees, including ex-General Managers Jagadishwar Reddy, Muralikrishna, and S.V. Gosala. These insiders, active during the period, stand accused of easing standards to benefit select suppliers.
Four dairy consultants join them, charged with providing misleading reports that cleared flawed batches. Their evaluations allegedly concealed additives like palm oil, paving the way for contracts with dairies such as Bhole Baba Organic Dairy and proxies.
From the filing’s highlights:
- Relaxed technical checks that ignored unviable bid prices.
- Certifications enabling 68 lakh kg of suspect ghee to enter TTD stocks.
- Links to blacklisted firms rerouting supplies through affiliates.
Detentions Mount: 10 Held as Links Unravel
Ten arrests have followed, from a Delhi chemical supplier to a former TTD chairman’s aide, highlighting patterns of suppressed lab alerts and tender manipulations. Recent custody includes a senior procurement head, with hawala trails pointing to kickbacks totaling lakhs.
The SIT’s scrutiny of e-tender records reveals how ineligible bidders gained ground, despite 2022 blacklists. As more interrogations loom, including to past executives, the case spotlights gaps in oversight for temple essentials.
This broadening net invites reflection: Beyond the arrests, can reformed processes safeguard faith’s everyday offerings from future flaws?