What is the story about?
The Special Investigation team on Wednesday filed the final chargesheet in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) laddu ghee adulteration case, revealing
that it was heavily adulterated with vegetable oils, primarily palm oil and palm kernel oil, however, the presence of animal fat was found to be highly unlikely. The SIT in its report cited the findings of the National Dairy Development Board’s Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (NDDB-CALF), Anand, and its report dated March 27, 2025 has also been submitted as part of the investigation.
What the Tests Found
Uttarakhand-based Bhole Baba Dairy, along with some TTD staff members, supplied adulterated ghee. According to the NDDB analysis, milk fat content in all four ghee samples was negligible, with key indicators of pure cow ghee failing to meet prescribed standards.
The SIT report also mentioned that the presence of animal fat origin including tallow, lard appears very less in the ghee. As per the report, traces of fish oil markers, including Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were found below quantifiable limits, ruling out the likelihood of fish oil.
Also Read - The ‘Adulterated’ Story Behind Sweet & Sacred Tirupati Laddu: Rs 500 Crore Business At Stake?
“The results suggest that the ghee samples mainly contain vegetable oils and fats of plant origin, with very low probability of animal fat presence,” the NDDB report concluded.
How the Adulterated Ghee Was Made - Who All Are Responsible?
The SIT chargesheet names 36 accused and describes a well-organised conspiracy to manufacture artificial ghee. As per the SIT's chargesheet, Uttarakhand-based Bhole Baba Dairy promoters Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain allegedly ran the operation through trusted employees, producing adulterated ghee that was supplied to TTD through multiple intermediary firms.
Hawala Money Trail Exposed
A major focus of the investigation is the illegal hawala transactions used to fund and sustain the adulteration network. According to the SIT, Directors of Bhole Baba Oroganic Dairy Milk Pvt. Ltd. conspired with intermediaries to supply adulterated ghee to TTD via Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt. Ltd.
In return, they received Rs 12.55 crore in cash via hawala from Bharat Bhai Thakur, a hawala agent based in Vijayawada, and Rs 7.31 crore via hawala from Madaram Dewasi, a hawala operator in Chennai, the probe agency findings revealed.
The cash transactions occurred between 2023 and 2024 and were routed on behalf of Pomil Jain, investigators said.
The SIT has flagged these transactions as evidence of large-scale money laundering used to bypass formal banking channels and conceal proceeds from food adulteration.
The investigation has also uncovered that adulterated ghee was not limited to TTD. During 2022–23, over 1.12 lakh kg of adulterated ghee was supplied to agencies in Tirupati.
Between May 2021 and September 2024, more than 11.3 lakh kg of adulterated ghee was distributed to temples across Andhra Pradesh through dealer networks.
The SIT has further found evidence of adulterated ghee supplies to temples in Maharashtra.
Investigations into the full extent of inter-state distribution and financial routing are ongoing.
