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Tirumala Laddu Ghee Adulteration Scandal: ₹250 Crore Worth of Fake Ghee Supplied Over 5 Years

By Vinutha U
Tirumala Laddu Ghee Adulteration Scandal: ₹250 Crore Worth of Fake Ghee Supplied Over 5 Years

The mastermind behind this racket is Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, based in Bhagawanpur, Uttarakhand, with promoters Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain as key accused. According to the probe, the dairy never procured even a single drop of milk or butter.

Tirupati: A shocking revelation has come to light from the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) Special Investigation Team (SIT), confirming that massive quantities of adulterated ghee were supplied to the world-renowned Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) between 2019 and 2024. The contamination in the ghee used for preparing the sacred Tirumala Laddus has betrayed the faith of millions of devotees, turning a symbol of divine grace into a grave injustice.

Background of the Scam
From 2019 to 2024, approximately 68 lakh kilograms of adulterated or substandard ghee—estimated to be worth over ₹250 crore—was supplied to TTD. The mastermind behind this racket is Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, based in Bhagawanpur, Uttarakhand, with promoters Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain as key accused. According to the probe, the dairy never procured even a single drop of milk or butter.

Instead, it manufactured entirely fake ghee using palm oil, palm kernel oil, and other chemicals. To pass TTD's quality tests, the accused cleverly manipulated the Reichert-Meissl value—a key parameter for detecting pure ghee—by incorporating chemicals like acetic acid esters, ensuring the adulterated product evaded detection. Even after TTD blacklisted Bhole Baba Dairy in 2022 due to irregularities, the scam persisted. The dairy continued securing TTD tenders and supplying fake ghee through proxy entities. ₹40 Crore Investment, Just ₹7 Crore Collected! Why Did Rashmika Mandanna's 'The Girlfriend' Underperform?

Companies such as Vyshnavi Dairy (Andhra Pradesh), Mal Ganga (Uttar Pradesh), and AR Dairy Foods (Tamil Nadu) were used as fronts to funnel the adulterated ghee to TTD. The perpetrators resorted to tactics like relabeling containers, forging invoices, and fabricating lab reports to sustain the deception. In a Supreme Court-mandated directive, the CBI-led SIT is probing the case with utmost sensitivity. Several company directors, including prominent accused, have already been arrested. The investigation is also scrutinizing the role of TTD officials, with the CBI describing this as a profound betrayal of religious faith.