Tirupati Laddu Row: Probe Finds No Action Was Taken Despite Ghee Adulteration Report In 2022

The investigation into the Tirupati laddu adulteration has revealed that despite test reports in 2022 showing all ghee samples were adulterated, no action was taken.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested Delhi-based trader Ajay Kumar Sugandha in the TTD laddu ghee adulteration case for supplying chemicals used to fake ghee. He allegedly worked with Bhole Baba Dairy directors for years. The ghee was supplied to TTD under private dairy labels.

CNN-News18 accessed exclusive details on the investigation into adulterated ghee supplied to TTD for the preparation of Srivari laddus. In the investigation, it was found that Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, Directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited, without procuring milk, prepared the adulterated ghee at their

plant at Bhagwanpur, near Roorkee, Uttarakhand, by mixing adulterants like Palm oil, Palm Kernel Oil, and Palmolein, which were procured from Buge Budge company, Kolkata, with a minimal quantity of ghee along with chemicals, viz., Beta-Carotene, Acetic Acid Ester, Ghee flavour, and other adulterants to adjust the lab test values and to maintain aroma in the adulterated ghee.

As part of the conspiracy, Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain supplied the said adulterated ghee to the TTD through their company Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited and also through Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialties Pvt Ltd, near Srikalahasti; Malganga Milk and Agro Products Private Limited, near Pune; and AR Dairy Food Private Ltd, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, which was used for the preparation of sacred prasadams of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy, which hurt the religious sentiments of crores of devotees.

Investigation also revealed that YV Subba Reddy worked as Chairman, TTD from 2019 to 2023. While he was working as TTD Chairman, TTD, on 16th May 2022, handed over an anonymous complaint against Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited to Shri RSSVR Subrahmanyam, GM Procurement, TTD at Tirumala for enquiry.

Further, on May 20, 2022, when RVSSR Subramanyam, then GM (P) met YV Subba Reddy, he instructed to send the supply samples of cow Ghee to CFTRI Lab for testing purposes and appraise the result. Accordingly, ghee samples were drawn from the ghee tankers of Premier Agri Foods Pvt. Ltd., Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Private Limited, and Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited and also from the tins supplied by Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited and forwarded to CFTRI, Mysore in June 2022.

The test reports of CFTRI received by TTD during August 2022 revealed that all the ghee samples were adulterated with vegetable oil as per the Beta Sitosterol test, but no action was taken against the said ghee suppliers, even after appraising him about the said test results. Instead, Premier Agri Foods Private Limited and Shree Vyshanavi Dairy Specialties Private Limited were allowed to continue to supply ghee to TTD till 2024, and Bhole Baba Organic Dairy was also allowed to continue supply of ghee till October 2022.

Later, Pomil Jain (A-3), Director of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited, Kailash Chand Mangla, and PP Srinivasan met YV Subba Reddy, then TTD Chairman, at his camp office-cum-residence at Hyderabad. During the meeting, Pomil Jain (A-3) complained about the demand of Rs 25 per kg ghee by Kaduru Chinnappanna, PA to then Chairman TTD, YV Subba Reddy, and requested the Chairman not to conduct inspection of his plant within a year.