Chemical Sludge, Bribes, Rs 250-Crore Fraud: CBI Chargesheet Details Tirupati Laddu Ghee Scam

Submitted on Friday before the Nellore ACB court, the chargesheet alleges that nearly 68 lakh kilograms of adulterated ghee worth approximately ₹250 crore were supplied to the Tirupati temple between 2021 and 2024. Investigators stated that the ghee was primarily adulterated with a “chemical sludge” engineered to resemble pure cow ghee closely.

The chargesheet further revealed that animal fats, including lard (pig fat) and tallow (beef fat), were detected in tankers that had earlier been rejected but were later recycled and reintroduced into the temple’s supply chain.

According to the SIT, the temple’s main ghee supplier, Uttarakhand-based Bhole Baba Dairy, did not procure milk or butter during the period in question. Instead, it allegedly manufactured a synthetic mixture using palm oil, kernel oil, and chemical additives. Delhi-based trader Ajay Kumar Sugandh is accused of supplying chemicals such as acetic acid esters and artificial ghee flavouring agents to replicate the taste, aroma, and laboratory parameters of genuine ghee.

The investigation also found that senior TTD officials, including former General Manager (Procurement) RSSVR Subrahmanyam, along with external dairy experts, played a key role in facilitating the scam. They allegedly accepted bribes and gifts in return for issuing favourable quality reports and suppressing evidence of vegetable fat adulteration.

The chargesheet incorporates findings from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), whose laboratory tests revealed S-values as low as 19.72, far below the standard range of 98–104, indicating extreme adulteration.

The case sparked nationwide outrage after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged in September 2024 that animal fat had been used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, triggering a major political controversy.