A shocking revelation has shaken the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The Tirupati Ghee Scam Exposed how a fake Uttarakhand dairy supplied 68 lakh kg of ghee worth ₹250 crore from 2019 to 2024.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) found that Bhole Baba Organic Dairy never sourced a single drop of milk or butter. Yet, it delivered ghee to TTD for making the famous laddu prasadam.
Investigators arrested Ajay Kumar Sugandh, who provided chemicals like monodiglycerides and acetic acid ester to the dairy. The unit, run by Pomil and Vipin Jain in Bhagawanpur, forged milk procurement and payment records to appear legitimate.
Even after its blacklisting in 2022, the dairy continued to win tenders using other firms — Vyshnavi Dairy in Tirupati, Mal Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, and AR Dairy Foods in Tamil Nadu.
In 2024, TTD rejected ghee adulterated with animal fat. Bhole Baba Dairy later resupplied the same stock through Vyshnavi Dairy. Investigators discovered that tankers were diverted to a stone crusher unit, where synthetic ghee was produced before being sent to TTD.
The adulterated ghee went into sacred laddus, sparking outrage among devotees and triggering a full CBI probe.
