GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested four individuals in connection with the alleged adulteration of cow ghee used in the preparation of Tirumala laddu prasadam on Sunday, February 9.
Those arrested include Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam) CEO Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, and AR Dairy (Dundigal) Managing Director Raju Rajasekharan. The accused were presented before the Tirupati court under Crime No. 470/24.
The investigation uncovered serious violations in the ghee supply chain, revealing irregularities at every stage.
According to reports, the representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy fraudulently secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy. False documents and seals were fabricated by Vaishnavi Dairy, using AR Dairy's name to manipulate the tender process. Additionally, fake records were created, claiming that Bhole Baba Dairy had supplied the ghee, despite the dairy lacking the capacity to meet such demands.
The scandal, which erupted during the previous YSRCP government's tenure, created a nationwide uproar when it was reported that impure substances, including animal fat, were found in the ghee used for preparing the sacred prasadam.
In response, the Supreme Court established a special investigation team (SIT) comprising officials from the CBI, the Andhra Pradesh government, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The five-member team included CBI Joint Director Veeresh Prabhu, CBI Visakhapatnam SP Murali, and FSSAI Advisor Satyan Kumar Panda. The SIT operated under the supervision of the CBI Director, following a directive from the Supreme Court.
Notably, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) uses approximately 15,000 kg of cow ghee daily to prepare Tirumala laddus. A tender to supply ghee at ₹320 per kg was awarded to AR Foods from Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, on July 8, 2024, eight tankers of ghee arrived, with four tankers sent for laboratory testing. On July 17, reports from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) confirmed adulteration with impure substances, leading to the arrests and further investigation.
