Tirumala Tirupati Temple's Rs 54 Crore Silk Scam: YSRCP Blames TDP for Decade-Long Fraud

Central Silk Board laboratories have conducted thorough tests confirming the existence of a significant scam.

Andhra Pradesh's religious community faces another crisis of faith as a major fraud involving Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's (TTD) silk products has come to light.

For an extended period, TTD had been purchasing what was marketed as "pure silk" items, only to later discover these products were actually manufactured using synthetic materials.

"We've uncovered a substantial scam involving silk dupattas. Shawls with an approximate cost of Rs 350 were being invoiced at over Rs 1300, resulting in total supplies exceeding Rs 50 crore. TTD has formally requested an Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation," stated BR Naidu, the TTD chairperson.

A vigilance investigation by TTD revealed that the supposedly mulberry silk shawls and dupattas supplied to the temple were in fact polyester materials.

The deception, which reportedly continued from approximately 2015 to 2025, is estimated to have caused financial losses surpassing Rs 54 crore.

Laboratories from the Central Silk Board conducted testing and confirmed that these items lacked legitimate silk certification.

The case is anticipated to undergo investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

This ten-year fraudulent activity has sparked heated political debates between the governing TDP-led NDA coalition and the opposition YSRCP.

The YSRCP party of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has claimed that this isn't a recent development but rather a persistent issue dating back to the TDP's previous administration. YSRCP representatives argue that insufficient oversight and problematic procurement practices from earlier periods allowed this fraud to continue undetected.

The party additionally accuses the current NDA government of manipulating the situation for political advantage and using it as a tool against political rivals.

Bhoomna Karunakar Reddy, YSRCP state spokesperson and former TTD Chairman, strongly criticized the coalition government, alleging repeated offenses against Hindu sentiments and misuse of Tirumala as a political platform to target YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSRCP.

Karunakar Reddy emphasized that the government has failed to release investigation reports or implement appropriate measures in response to the fraud.

He further alleged that BR Naidu, the current TTD Chairman, has neglected his responsibilities and transformed the sacred shrine into a venue for political activities.

This 'dupatta scam' represents the most recent in a series of procurement controversies surrounding the TTD, which administers Lord Venkateswara's hill shrine atop Tirumala hills in Tirupati. Previous controversies include alleged adulteration of ghee used in preparing sacred laddu prasadam and the Parakamani (donation money) theft case, both of which generated headlines and initiated blame exchanges between YS Jaganmohan Reddy's party and the TDP.